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'Cf)e3f0lanli  of Jfanta©^ 


a  ISomancc 


By      FERGUS      HUME 

Author    of    **When    I    Lived    In     Bohemia'*     *'The     Mystery 
of    a     Hansom     Cab,**     **The     Man     Who     Vanished,**     etc. 


Sorrow  ind  weariness, 
Heartache  and  dreariness. 

None  should  endure  ; 
Scale  ye  the  mountain  peak. 
Vale  'o  the  fountain  seek. 

There  is  the  cure. 


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THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY 


CHAPTER  I. 

A    MIND    DISEASED. 

Your  Eastern  drugs,  your  spices,  your  perfumes, 

Are  all  in  vain ; 

They  cannot  snatch  my  soul  from  out  its  glooms, 

Nor  soothe  the  brain. 

My  mind  is  dark  as  cycle-sealed  tombs, 

And  must  remain 

In  darkness  till  the  light  of  God  illumes 

Its  black  inane. 

It  was  eight  o'clock  on  a  still  summer  evening,  and,  the 
ladies  having  retired,  two  men  were  lingering  in  a  pleasant, 
indolent  fashion  over  their  wine  in  the  dining-room  of  Roy- 
lands  Grange.  To  be  exact,  onlj^  the  elder  gentleman  was 
paying  any  attention  to  his  port,  for  the  young  man  who  sat 
at  the  head  of  the  table  stared  vaguely  on  his  empty  glass, 
and  at  his  equally  empty  plate,  as  if  his  thoughts  were  miles 
away,  which  was  precisely  the  case.  Youth  was  moody,  age 
was  cheerful,  for,  while  the  former  indulged  in  a  brown  study, 
the  latter  cracked  nuts  and  sipped  wine,  with  a  just  appreci- 
ation of  the  excellence  of  both.  Judging  from  this  outward 
aspect  of  things,  there  was  something  wrong  with  Maurice 
Roylands,  for  if  reverend  age  in  the  presentable  person  of 
Rector  Carriston  could  be  merry,  there  appeared  to  be  no 
very  feasible  reason  why  unthinking  youth  should  be  so  in- 
effably dreary.  Yet  woe  was  writ  largely  on  the  comely 
face  of  the  moody  young  man,  and  he  joined  but  listlessly  in 
the  jocund  conversation  of  his  companion,  which  was  punc- 
tuated in  a  very  marked  manner  by  the  cracking  of  filberts. 

Outside,  a  magical  twilight  brooded  over  the  landscape, 
and  the  chill  odors  of  eve  floated  from  a  thousand  sleeping 

9 


10  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

flowers  into  the  mellow  atmosphere  of  the  room,  which  was 
irradiated  by  the  soft  gleam  of  many  wax  candles  rising 
white  and  slender  from  amid  the  pale  roses  adorning  the 
dinner-table.  All  was  pleasant,  peaceful,  and  infinitely 
charming ;  yet  Maurice  Roylands,  aged  thirty,  healthy, 
wealthy,  and  not  at  all  bad-looking,  sat  moodily  frowning 
at  his  untasted  dessert,  as  though  he  bore  the  weight  of  the 
world  on  his  shoulders. 

In  truth,  jVIr.  Roylands,  with  the  usual  self-worship  of 
latter-day  youth,  thought  he  was  being  very  hardly  treated 
by  Destiny,  as  that  all-powerful  goddess  had  given  him 
everything  calculated  to  make  a  mortal  happy,  save  the  capa- 
bility of  being  happy.  This  was  undeniably  hard,  and  might 
be  called  the  very  irony  of  fate,  for  one  might  as  well  offer 
a  sumptuous  banquet  to  a  dj^speptic,  as  give  a  man  all  the 
means  of  enjoyment,  without  the  faculty  of  taking  advantage 
of  such  good  fortune.  Roylands  had  considerable  artistic 
power,  an  income  of  nearly  six  thousand  a  year,  a  fine  house, 
friends  innumerable  —  of  the  summer  season  sort ;  yet  he 
neither  cared  about  nor  valued  these  blessings,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  he  was  heartily  sick  of  them,  one  and  all.  He 
would  have  been  happier  digging  a  patch  of  ground  for  his 
daily  bread,  than  thus  idling  through  life  on  an  independent 
income,  for  Ennui,  twin  sister  of  Care,  had  taken  possession 
of  his  soul,  and  in  the  midst  of  all  his  comforts  he  was  thor- 
oughly unhappy. 

The  proverb  that  "  The  rich  are  more  miserable  than  the 
poor,"  is  but  a  trite  one  on  which  to  preach  a  sermon,  for  did 
not  Solomon  say  all  that  there  was  to  be  said  in  the  matter  ? 
It  was  an  easier  task  to  write  a  new  play  on  the  theme  of 
Hamlet,  than  to  compose  a  novel  discourse  on  the  "  All  is  van- 
ity "  text ;  for  on  some  subjects  the  final  word  has  been  said, 
and  he  who  preaches  thereon  says  nothing  new,  but  only  re- 
peats the  ideas  of  former  orators,  who  in  their  turn  doubtless 
reiterated  the  sayings  of  still  earlier  preachers,  and  so  on 
back  to  Father  Adam,  to  whom  the  wily  serpent  possibly 
delivered  a  sermon  on  the  cynically  wise  saying  illustrated  so 
exhaustively  by  Solomon  ben  David.  Therefore,  to  remark 
that  Maurice  was  miserable  amid  all  his  splendors  is  a  pla- 
giarism, and  they  who  desire  to  study  the  original  version 
for  themselves  must  read  Ecclesiastes,  which  gives  a  minute 
analysis  of  the  whole  question,  with  cruelly  true  comments 
thereon. 

When  Roylands  ten  years  before  had  gone  to   London, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  11 

against  the  desire  of  his  father,  to  take  up  the  profession  — 
if  it  can  be  called  so  —  of  a  sculptor,  he  was  full  of  energy 
and  ambition.  He  had  fully  determined  to  set  the  Thames 
on  fire  by  the  creation  of  statues  worthy  of  Canova,  to  make 
a  great  name  in  the  artistic  world,  to  become  a  member  of 
the  Academy,  to  inaugurate  a  new  era  in  the  history  of 
English  sculpture  ;  so,  with  all  this  glory  before  him,  he 
turned  his  back  on  the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt  and  went  to  dwell 
in  the  land  of  Bohemia.  In  order  to  bring  the  lad  to  his 
senses,  Roylands  senior  refused  to  aid  him  with  a  shilling 
until  he  gave  up  the  pitiful  trade  —  in  this  country  squire's 
opinion — of  chipping  figures  out  of  marble.  Supplies  being 
thus  stopped,  Maurice  suffered  greatly  in  those  artistic  days 
for  lack  of  an  assured  income ;  yet  in  spite  of  all  his  depri- 
vations, he  was  very  happy  in  Bohemia  until  he  lived  down 
his  enthusiasms.  When  matters  came  to  that  pass,  the 
wine  of  life  lost  its  zest  for  this  young  man,  and  he  became 
a  victim  to  melancholia,  that  terrible  disease  for  which 
there  is  rarely  —  if  any  cure.  He  lived  because  he  did  not 
agree  with  Addison's  Cato  regarding  the  virtues  of  self- 
destruction,  but  as  far  as  actual  dying  went  it  mattered  to 
him  neither  one  way  nor  the  other.  If  he  had  done  but 
little  good  during  his  life,  at  least  he  had  done  but  little 
harm,  so,  thinking  he  could  scarcely  be  punished  severely 
for  such  a  negative  existence,  he  was  quite  willing  to  leave 
this  world  he  found  so  dreary,  provided  the  entrance  into 
the  next  one  was  not  of  too  painful  a  nature. 

It  is  a  bad  thing  for  a  young  man  to  thus  take  to  the  pessi- 
mistic school  of  philosophy  as  exemplified  by  Schopenhauer, 
as,  having  nothing  to  look  back  at,  nothing  to  look  forward 
to,  and  nothing  to  hold  on  by,  the  scheme  of  his  life  falls 
into  a  ruinous  condition,  so,  being  without  the  safety  anchor 
of  Hope,  he  drifts  aimlessly  through  existence,  a  nuisance  to 
himself  and  to  every  one  around  him.  Maurice,  listless  and 
despairing,  did  no  more  work  than  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  earn  a  bare  subsistence,  and  lived  his  life  in  a  semi- 
dreamy,  semi-lethargic  condition,  with  no  very  distinct  idea 
as  to  what  was  to  be  the  ultimate  end  of  all  this  dreariness. 
When  night  fell  he  was  then  more  at  rest,  for  in  sleep  he 
found  a  certain  amount  of  compensation  for  the  woes  of  his 
waking  hours.  As  to  his  modelling,  he  took  a  positive  dis- 
like to  it,  and  for  this  reason  improved  but  little  in  liis  work 
during  the  last  years  of  his  Bohemian  existence.  Profoundly 
disgusted,  without  any  positive  reason,  with  himself,  his  art, 


12  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY, 

the  world,  and  his  fellow-men,  heaven  only  knows  what 
would  have  become  of  him,  had  not  an  event  happened 
which,  by  placing  him  in  a  new  position,  seemed  to  promise 
his  redemption  from  the  gloomy  prison  of  melancholia. 

The  event  in  question  was  none  other  than  the  death  of 
his  father,  and  Maurice,  as  in  duty  bound,  came  down  to  the 
funeral.  When  the  will  of  the  late  Squire  was  read,  it  was 
discovered  that,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  trifling 
bequests,  all  the  real  and  personal  property  -was  left  to  his 
only  son ;  thus  this  fortunate  young  man  at  the  age  of  thirty 
found  himself  independent  of  the  world  for  the  rest  of  his 
days,  provided  always  he  did  not  squander  his  paternal  acres, 
a  thing  he  had  not  the  slightest  intention  of  doing.  Maurice 
had  no  leanings  towards  what  is  vulgarly  termed  a  '-fast 
life,"  for  he  detested  horse-racing,  cared  but  little  for  wine, 
and  neither  cards  nor  women  possessed  any  fascination  for 
him.  Not  that  he  was  a  model  young  man  by  any  means, 
but  his  tastes  were  too  refined,  his  nature  too  intellectual,  to 
admit  of  his  finding  pleasure  in  drinking,  gaming,  and  their 
concomitants.  As  to  love,  he  did  not  know  the  meaning  of 
the  word, — at  least  not  the  real  meaning,  —  which  was 
rather  a  mistake,  as  it  would  certainly  have  given  him  an 
interest  in  life,  and  perhaps  have  prevented  him  yielding 
so  readily  to  the  influence  of  "black  care,"  which  even  the 
genial  Venusian  knew  something  about,  seeing  he  made  her 
an  equestrian. 

Of  course,  he  was  sorry  for  the  death  of  his  father,  but 
there  had  been  so  little  real  sympathy  between  them,  that 
he  could  not  absolutely  look  upon  the  event  as  an  irrepa- 
rable calamity.  Maurice  had  always  loved  his  mother  more 
than  his  father,  and  when  she  died  as  he  was  leaving  home 
for  college  he  was  indeed  inconsolable  ;  but  he  saw  the 
remains  of  the  late  Mr.  Roylands  duly  committed  to  the 
family  vault  without  any  violent  display  of  grief,  after 
which  he  returned  to  live  the  life  of  a  country  gentleman  at 
the  Grange,  and  wonder  what  would  be  the  upshot  of  this 
new  phase  of  his  existence. 

Solitude  was  abhorrent  to  him,  as  his  thoughts  were  so 
miserable  ;  therefore,  for  the  sake  of  having  some  one  to 
drive  away  the  evil  spirit,  he  invited  his  aunt,  the  Hon.  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  to  stay  at  the  Grange  for  a  week  or  so.  She 
came  without  hesitation,  and  brought  her  daughter  Eunice 
also,  upon  which  Maurice,  finding  two  women  more  than  an 
unhappy  bachelor  could  put  up  with,  asked  the  new  poet 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  13 

Crispin,  for  wlioin  he  had  a  great  liking,  to  come  down  to 
Roylands,  which  that  young  man  did  very  willingly,  as  he 
was  in  love  with  Eunice,  a  state  of  things  half  guessed  and 
wholly  hated  by  Mrs.  Dengelton,  who  much  desired  her 
daughter  to  marry  the  new  Squire. 

On  this  special  evening,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Carriston,  Rec- 
tor of  Roylands,  had  come  to  dinner,  and,  Crispin  having 
retired  to  the  drawing-room  with  the  ladies,  he  found  himself 
alone  with  his  former  pupil,  much  to  his  satisfaction,  as  he 
wished  greatly  to  have  a  quiet  talk  with  Maurice.  Mr.  Car- 
riston was  the  oldest  friend  the  young  man  had,  having  been 
his  tutor  in  the  long  ago,  and  prepared  him  for  college. 
Whatever  success  Maurice  gained  at  Oxford  —  and  such 
success  was  not  inconsiderable  —  was  due  to  the  admirable 
way  in  which  he  had  been  coached  by  the  rubicund  divine. 

Certainly  the  Rector  loved  the  good  things  of  this  life, 
and  looked  as  if  he  did,  which  is  surely  pardonable  enough, 
especially  in  a  bachelor ;  for  at  sixty-five  years  of  age  the 
Rector  was  still  single,  and  much  beloved  by  his  parishion- 
ers, to  whom  he  preached  short,  pithy  sermons  on  the  actions 
of  their  daily  lives,  which  was  assuredly  much  better  than 
muddling  their  dull  brains  with  theological  hair-splitting. 
Being  very  fond  of  Maurice,  he  was  greatly  concerned  to 
see  the  marked  change  which  six  years  of  London  life  had 
made  in  the  young  fellow.  The  merry,  ambitious  lad,  who 
had  departed  so  full  of  resolution  to  succeed,  had  now  re- 
turned a  weary-looking,  worn-out  man ;  and  as  the  Rector, 
during  the  intervals  of  his  nut-cracking,  glanced  at  his  for- 
mer pupil,  he  was  struck  by  the  extreme  melancholy  which 
pervaded  the  whole  face.  Comely  it  was  certainly,  of  the 
fresh-colored  Saxon  type,  but  the  color  had  long  since  left 
those  haggard  cheeks,  there  were  deep  lines  in  the  high  fore- 
head, the  mouth  was  drawn  downward  in  a  dismal  fashion 
under  the  trim  mustache,  and  from  the  eyes  looked  forth 
an  unhappy  soul. 

Yes,  the  Rector  was  considerably  puzzled  to  account  for 
this  change,  and  resolved  to  find  out  what  ailed  the  lad,  but 
he  hardly  knew  how  to  set  about  this  delicate  task,  th(^ 
more  so,  as  he  feared  the  consolations  of  religion  would  do 
but  little  good  in  this  case  ;  for  Maurice,  without  being  abso- 
lutely a  sceptic,  yet  held  opinions  of  a  heterodox  type,  quite 
at  variance  with  the  declarations  of  the  Thirty-Nine  Articles 
in  which  the  good  Rector  so  firmly  believed. 

At  length  Mr.  Carriston  grew  weary  of  cracking  nuts  and 


14  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

sipping  port  wine  without  the  digestive  aid  of  pleasant  con- 
versation, and  therefore  began  to  talk  to  his  quondam  pupil, 
with  the  firm  determination  to  keep  on  talking  until  he  dis- 
covered the  secret  of  the  young  man's  melancholy. 

"Are  you  not  going  to  fill  your  glass,  Maurice  ?  " 

"No,  thank  you,  sir.     I  am  rather  tired  of  port." 

"  Inexplicable  creature  ! "  said  the  Rector,  holding  up  his 
glass  to  the  light.  "Ah,  well,  ^ De  r/ustibus,'  my  dear  lad. 
I  have  no  doubt  you  can  finish  the  quotation.  Why  not 
try  claret  ?  " 

"  I'm  tired  of  claret." 

"  It  seems  to  me,  sir,"  observed  Mr.  Carriston  leisurel}', 
"  that  you  are  tired  of  all  things." 

"I  am  —  including  myself." 

"  Strange  !  A  j^oung  man  of  thirty  years  of  age,  sound  of 
mind  and  body,  who  is  fortunate  enough  to  inherit  six  thou- 
sand a  year,  ought  to  be  happy." 

"  Money  does  not  bring  happiness." 

"Ah,  that  proverb  is  quite  worn  out,"  replied  the  Rector 
cheerily;  "try  another,  my  boy,  try  another." 

Maurice,  leaning  forward  with  a  sigh,  took  a  handful  of 
nuts,  which  he  proceeded  to  crack  in  a  listless  fashion.  The 
Rector  said  nothing,  but  waited  for  Maurice  to  speak,  which 
he  was  obliged  to  do  out  of  courtesy,  although  much  disin- 
clined to  resume  the  argument. 

"I've  tried  everything,  and  I'm  tired  of  everything." 

"  Even  of  that  marble-chipping  you  call  art  ?  " 

"  I  am  more  tired  of  that  than  of  anything  else,"  said 
Maurice  emphatically. 

"'  A  bad  case,"  murmured  the  Rector,  shaking  his  gray  head ; 
"a  very  bad  case,  which  needs  curing.  'Nothing's  new! 
nothing's  true !  and  no  matter,'  says  my  Oxford  fine  gentle- 
man. Maurice,  I  must  assert  my  privilege  as  an  old  friend, 
and  reason  with  you  in  this  matter.  I  am  sadly  afraid,  my 
dear  lad,  that  you  need  whipping." 

The  ghost  of  a  smile  played  over  the  tired  face  of  the 
young  man,  and  he  assented  heartily  to  the  observation  of 
his  old  tutor  —  nay,  even  added  an  amendment  thereto. 

"  I  do,  sir,  I  do  !  "  he  said  sombrely  ;  "  we  all  need  whip- 
ping more  or  less  —  men,  women,  and  children." 

"  I  am  afraid  the  last-named  get  the  most  of  it,"  replied 
Carriston,  with  dry  humor. 

"  With  the  birch,  yes.  But  'tis  not  so  pleasant  to  be 
whipped  by  Fate." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  ^FANTASY.  15 

"  My  dear  lad,  you  cannot  say  she  has  whipped  you." 

"  To  continue  your  illustration,  Rector,  there  are  several 
modes  of  whipping,  —  the  birch  which  pains  the  skin,  pov- 
erty which  pains  the  body,  and  despair  which  pains  the  soul. 
The  latter  is  my  case.  I  have  health,  wealth,  and  youth ; 
but  I  feel  the  stings  of  the  rod  all  the  same." 

"  Yes  ?  "  queried  Carriston  interrogatively  ;  "  in  what 
way  ?  " 

"I  have  not  the  capability  of  enjoying  the  blessings  I 
possess." 

"  How  so  ?     Explain  this  riddle." 

"  I  cannot  explain  it.  I  simply  take  no  pleasure  in  life. 
Eich  or  poor,  old  or  young,  well  or  ill,  I  would  still  be  as 
miserable  as  I  am  now." 

"  Hum  !  Let  us  look  at  the  question  from  three  points  of 
view — comprehensive  points.  The  legal,  the  medicinal,  the 
religious.  One  of  these,  if  properly  applied,  will  surely 
solve  the  enigma." 

"  I  doubt  it." 

"  Ah,  that  is  because  you  have  made  up  your  mind  to 
doubt.     '  None  so  blind  as  those  who  won't  see.'  " 

"  Who  is  quoting  proverbs  now,  Mr.  Carriston  ?  " 

"  I  am,  sir,  even  I  who  dislike  such  arid  chips  of  widsom ; 
but  'tis  an  excellent  proverb,  which  has  borne  the  wear  and 
tear  of  centuries.  Come  now,  Maurice,  are  you  in  any 
trouble  connected  with  money  ?  are  you  involved  in  any 
law-suit,  or  —  or  —  well,"  said  the  Rector,  delicately  eying 
his  glass,  "I  hardly  know  how  to  put  it, — er  —  er  —  are 
you  involved  in  any  love  affair  ?  " 

"  No ;  my  worldly  position  is  all  right,  and  I  am  not 
mixed  up  in  any  feminine  trouble." 

"  Good  !  that  settles  the  legal  point.  Now  for  the  medi- 
cal.    Your  liver  must  be  out  of  order." 

"  I  assure  you,  sir,  I  never  felt  better  in  my  life." 

Mr.  Carriston's  face  now  assumed  a  grave  expression  as 
he  put  the  last  question  to  his  host. 

"  And  the  religious  point  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  troubled  on  that  score,  sir." 

The  Rev.  Stephen  looked  doubtful. 

^'Whatever  my  religious  views  may  be,"  resumed  Maurice, 
seeing  the  Rector  was  but  half  convinced,  "  and  I  am  afraid 
they  can  hardly  be  called  orthodox,  I  at  least  can  safely  say 
that  my  past  life  is  not  open  to  misconstruction." 

"  Good  !  good  !     I  always  had  confidence  in  you,  Maurice. 


16  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

Yours  is  not  the  nature  to  find  pleasure  in  gutter-raking. 
AVell,  it  seems  that  none  of  those  three  points  meet  the  case. 
Can  you  not  give  me  some  understandable  reason  for  this 
melancholy  which  renders  your  life  so  bitter." 

"No.  I  went  to  London  full  of  joy,  energy,  and  ambi- 
tion ;  but  in  some  way  — I  cannot  tell  you  how  —  1  lost  all 
those  feelings.  First  joy  departed,  then  ambition  fled  away, 
and  with  these  two  feelings  absent  I  felt  no  further  energy 
to  do  anything.  It  may  be  satiety,  certainly.  I  have  ex- 
plored the  heights  and  depths  of  London  life,  I  have  read 
books  new  and  old,  I  have  studied  as  far  as  in  me  lay  my 
fellow-men,  I  have  tried  to  fall  in  love  with  my  fellow- 
women  —  and  failed  dismally.  In  fact,  Mr.  Carriston,  I 
have  exhausted  the  world,  and  find  it  as  empty  as  this." 

He  held  up  a  nut  which  he  had  just  cracked,  and  it  con- 
tained no  kernel  —  an  apt  illustration  of  his  wasted  life. 

The  rector  shook  his  head  again  in  some  perplexity,  and 
filled  himself  another  glass  of  port,  while  Maurice,  rising 
from  his  seat,  sauntered  to  the  window,  and  looked  absently 
at  the  peaceful  scene  before  him.  The  moon,  rising  slowly 
over  the  tree-tops,  flooded  the  landscape  with  her  pale  gleam, 
so  that  the  gazer  could  see  the  glimmer  of  the  white  marble 
statues  far  down  in  the  dewy  darkness  of  the  lawn,  the  som- 
bre woods  black  against  the  clear  sky,  and  away  in  the  dis- 
tance the  thin  streak  of  silver,  which  told  of  the  restless 
ocean.  A  salt  wind  was  blowing  overland  from  thence,  and, 
dilating  his  nostrils,  opening  his  mouth,  he  inhaled  the  vivi- 
fying breeze  in  long  breaths,  while  dully  in  his  ears  sounded 
the  sullen  thunder  of  the  far-away  billows  rolling  backward 
in  sheets  of  shattered  foam. 

*'  Oh,  Mother  ISTature  !  Demeter  !  Tellus  !  Isis  !  "  he  mur- 
mured, half  closing  his  eyes  ;  '•'  tis  only  from  thee  T  can  hope 
to  gain  a  panacea  for  this  gnawing  pain  of  life.  I  am  weary 
of  the  world,  tired  of  this  aimless  existence,  but  to  thee  will 
I  fly  to  seek  solace  in  thine  healing  balms." 

"  Maurice ! " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

It  was  the  rector  who  spoke,  and  the  sound  of  his  mellow 
voice  roused  the  young  man  from  his  dreaming ;  therefore, 
resuming  his  normal  manner,  he  lighted  a  cigarette  and  pre- 
pared to  listen  to  the  conversation  of  his  old  tutor, 

"Are  you  still  as  good  a  German  scholar  as  you  used  to 
be  ?  "  asked  the  rector  deliberately. 

"  Not  quite.  My  German,  like  myself,  has  grown  some- 
what rusty." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  17 

"  Can  you  translate  the  word  Selbstschmerz  ?  '^ 

"  Self-sickness." 

"  Yes ;  that  is  about  as  good  an  English  equivalent  as  can 
be  found.     Well,  that  is  what  you  are  suffering  from." 

"  Oh,  wise  physician,"  retorted  Roylands,  with  irony.  "  I 
know  the  cause  of  the  disease  myself,  but  what  of  the 
cure  ?  " 

"You  must  fall  in  love." 

"  No  one  can  fall  in  love  to  order." 

"  Well,  you  must  make  the  attempt  at  all  events,"  said 
Carriston,  with  a  genial  laugh  ;  "  it  is  the  only  cure  for  your 
disease." 

"  Why  do  you  think  so  ?  " 

"  Because  it  is  your  egotism  makes  you  miserable.  You 
care  for  no  one  but  yourself,  and  are  therefore  bound  to  suf- 
fer from  such  selfishness.  True  happiness  lies  in  self-abne- 
gation, a  virtue  which  all  men  preach,  but  few  men  practise. 
'  Every  man/  says  Goethe,  '  thinks  himself  the  centre  of  the 
universe.'  This  is  true  —  particularly  true  in  your  case. 
You  have  been  so  much  taken  up  with  your  own  woes  and 
troubles  that  you  have  had  no  time  to  see  those  of  your  fel- 
low-creatures, and  such  exclusive  analysis  of  one's  inner  life 
leads  naturally  to  self-sickness.  You  are  torturing  yourself 
by  yourself ;  you  have  destroyed  the  sense  of  pleasure,  and 
can  therefore  see  nothing  good  on  God's  earth.  You  would 
like  to  cut  the  Gordian  knot  by  death,  but  have  neither  the 
courage  nor  resolution  to  make  away  with  yourself.  Oh,  I 
know  the  reason  of  such  hesitation. 

*  'Tis  better  to  endure  the  ills  we  have, 
Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of.' 

I  have  no  doubt  that  is  your  feeling  about  the  hereafter. 
Well,  with  all  this  you  feel  you  are  in  prison  and  cannot 
escape,  because  a  last  remnant  of  manliness  forbids  you  open- 
ing the  only  door  by  which  you  can  go  hence.  Therefore  you 
are  forced  to  remain  on  earth,  and  condemned  yourself  to 
supply  the  tortures  from  which  you  suffer.  Have  I  not  de- 
scribed your  condition  accurately  ?  " 

"  You  have,"  replied  Maurice,  rather  astonished  at  the  rec- 
tor's penetration.  "I  do  torture  myself,  I  know,  but  that  is 
because  I  cannot  escape  from  my  own  thoughts.  Pin-pricks 
hurt  more  than  cannon  balls,  and  incessant  worries  are  far 
more  painful  than  great  calamities.  But  all  you  have  said 
touches  on  the  disease  only,  it  does  not  say  how  the  cure 
you  propose  will  benefit  me." 


18  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

He  had  come  back  to  his  seat,  and  was  now  leaning  for- 
ward with  folded  arms,  looking  at  the  benevolent  face  of  his 
friend.  The  discussion,  having  roused  his  interest,  made  him 
forget  himself  for  the  moment,  and  with  such  forgetfulness 
the  moody  look  passed  away  from  his  face.  The  rector 
saw  this,  and  immediately  made  use  of  it  as  a  point  in  his 
favor. 

''  Ah,  if  you  could  but  behold  yourself  in  the  glass  at  this 
moment,"  he  said  approvingly,  "  you  would  see  the  point  I 
am  aiming  at  without  need  of  further  discussion.  I  have 
interested  you,  and  consequently  you  have  forgotten  for  the 
moment  your  self-torture.  That  is  what  love  will  do.  If 
you  love  a  woman,  she  will  fill  your  whole  soul,  your  whole 
being,  and  give  you  an  interest  in  life.  What  she  admires 
you  will  admire,  what  she  takes  an  interest  in  you  will  take 
an  interest  in ;  and  thus,  being  busy  with  other  things,  you 
will  forget  to  worry  your  brains  about  your  own  perfections 
or  imperfections.  And  if  you  are  happy  enough  to  become  a 
father,  children  will  give  you  a  great  interest  in  life,  and  you 
will  find  that  God  has  appointed  you  work  to  do  which  is 
ready  to  your  hand.  When  you  discover  the  work,  aided  by 
wife  and  children,  you  will  do  it,  and  thus  be  happy.  Re- 
member those  fine  words  of  Burns,  — 

*  To  make  a  happy  fireside  clime 

For  weans  and  wife, 
That's  the  true  pathos  and  sublime 
Of  human  Hfe.'  " 

"  What  you  say  sounds  fine  but  dull.  I  don't  care  about 
such  wearisome  domesticity." 

"  What  you  call  wearisome  domesticity,"  said  the  Rector 
in  a  voice  of  emotion,  "  is  the  happiest  state  in  which  a  man 
can  find  himself.  Home,  wife,  children,  domestic  love,  do- 
mestic consolations  —  what  more  can  the  heart  of  man  desire  ? 
Laurel  crowns  cure  no  aching  head,  but  the  gentle  kiss  of  a 
loved  wife  in  time  of  trouble  is  indeed  balm  in  Gilead." 

Maurice  looked  at  the  old  man  in  amazement,  for  never 
had  he  seen  him  so  moved. 

"You  speak  feelingly,  Rector,"  he  said  at  length,  with  a 
certain  hesitation. 

"  I  speak  as  I  feel,"  replied  Carriston  with  a  sigh.  "  I 
also  have  my  story,  old  and  unromantic-looking  as  I  am. 
Come  over  to  the  Rectory  to-morrow,  my  dear  lad,  and  I  will 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  19 

tell  you  something  which  will  make  you  see  how  foolish  it  is 
to  be  miserable  in  God's  beautiful  world." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  give  you  pain." 

"  No ;  it  will  not  give  me  pain.  What  was  my  gr-eatest 
sorrow  is  now  my  greatest  consolation.  You  will  come  and 
see  me  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  If  you  wish  it." 

'•  I  do  wish  it." 

"  Then  I  will  come." 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments,  each  of  them  being 
occupied  with  his  own  thoughts.  The  Rector  was  evidently 
thinking  of  that  old  romance  which  had  stirred  him  to  such 
an  unwonted  display  of  emotion ;  and  JVraurice  saw  for  the 
first  time  in  his  selfish  life  that  other  men  had  sorrows  as 
well  as  he,  and  that  he  was  not  the  only  person  in  the 
world  who  suffered  from  Selbstschmerz. 

"  But  come,  Maurice,"  said  the  Rector,  after  a  pause,  "  I 
was  talking  about  curing  you  by  marriage." 

"  Love ! " 

"  Well,  marriage  in  your  case,  I  hope,  will  be  love,"  ob- 
served Carriston,  a  trifle  reproachfully.  "  I  would  be  sorry 
indeed  to  see  you  make  any  woman  your  wife  unless  it  was 
for  true  love's  sake." 

"  Well,  whom  do  you  want  me  to  love  ?  " 

"Ah,  that  is  for  you  to  decide.  But,  if  I  may  make  a 
suggestion,  I  should  say,  Eunice." 

"Eunice!" 

"She  is  a  charming  girl.  Highly  educated,  good-look- 
ing "  — 

"But  so  prim." 

"  Oh,  that  is  but  a  suspicion  of  old  maidism,  which  will 
wear  off  after  a  month  or  two  of  married  life." 

"  Do  you  think  she  would  make  me  a  good  wife  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Maurice,  with  a  faint  sneer.  "  She  would 
look  well  at  the  head  of  my  table  ;  she  would  always  be 
dressed  to  perfection ;  she  would  doubtless  be  an  excellent 
mother ;  but  there  is  one  great  bar  to  our  union." 

"  And  that  is  ?  " 

"'  We  only  love  each  other  as  cousins." 

"  It  may  grow  into  a  warmer  feeling." 

"  I'm  certain  it  won't ;  and.  Rector,"  continued  Maurice, 
laying  his  hand  on  the  old  man's  arm,  "  could  you  advise  me 
to  have  a  mother-in-law  like  Mrs.  Dengelton  ?  " 


20  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

The  Kector  laughed  heartily,  and  Maurice  joined  in  his 
mirth,  much  to  Carriston's  delight. 

"  Ah,  now  you  are  more  like  the  boy  I  knew ! "  he  said, 
slipping  his  arm  into  that  of  Roylands,  and  leading  him  to 
the  door ;  "  did  I  not  tell  you  I  would  cure  you  ?  I  will 
complete  the  cure  to-morrow." 

''  But  it  might  give  you  pain." 

"  No,  no  ;  don't  think  about  that,"  said  Carriston  hastily. 
"  If  I  can  do  you  a  service,  I  don't  mind  a  passing  twinge  of 
regret.  But  here  we  are  at  the  drawing-room  door.  Let  us 
join  the  ladies." 

"  And  Crispin." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  the  Rector,  placing  his  hand  on  Roy- 
lands  as  he  was  about  to  open  the  door,  '^  who  is  Crispin  ?  " 

"Every  one  in  London  has  been  trying  to  find  that  out  for 
the  last  two  years." 

"What  is  he?" 

"  The  new  poet ;  the  coming  Tennyson,  the  future  Brown- 
ing. No  one  knows  who  he  is,  or  where  he  comes  from. 
He  is  called  Crispin  tout  court.^^ 

"  A  most  perplexing  person.     Are  you  quite  sure  "  — 

"  If  he  is  fit  for  respectable  society  ?  Oh  yes.  He  goes 
everywhere  in  London.  Like  Disraeli,  he  stands  on  his  head, 
for  his  genius  —  and  he  has  great  genius  —  has  opened  all 
the  drawing-rooms  of  Belgravia  to  him.  Oh,  he  is  quite 
proper." 

"  Still,  still !  "  objected  the  Rector. 

"Well,  what  objection  have  you  yet  to  him,  my  dear  sir  ?" 

"I'm  afraid,  I'm  afraid,"  whispered  Carriston,  looking 
apprehensively  at  Maurice,  "  that  he  loves  Eunice." 

"  Impossible  ! " 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  so  old  but  what  I  can  see  the  signs  and 
tokens  of  love ;  and,  placed  on  my  guard  by  a  casual  glance, 
I  noticed  Eunice  and  your  poet  particularly  at  dinner." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Maurice  coolly,  "  I'm  afraid  Crispin 
will  have  to  put  up  with  Mrs.  Dengelton  as  a  mother-in-law." 

The  Rector  laughed  again,  and  they  entered  the  drawing- 
room. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  21 

CHAPTER   II. 

DE    RERUM    PARVULA. 

The  smallest  actions  in  a  life 
Betray  the  calm  or  inward  strife : 
From  idle  straws,  as  persons  know, 
One  learns  the  way  the  breezes  blow; 
You  love  those  Florentine  mosaics, 
Yet  tiny  stones  tlie  picture  makes. 
Complying  with  this  rule's  demand, 
Whate'er  is  meant  you'll  understand, 
So  follow  carefully  this  chatter, 
And  you'll  discover  what's  the  matter. 

The  three  persons  who  occupied  the  drawing-room  were 
all  employed  according  to  their  different  natures,  for  Crispin, 
being  an  ardent  musician,  was  seated  at  the  piano,  playing 
softly.  Eunice,  who  rarely  spoke,  was  listening,  and  the 
Hon.  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  talking  as  usual.  She  was  always 
talking,  but  never  by  any  chance  said  anything  worth  listen- 
ing to.  With  her  it  was  all  quantity  and  no  quality.  For, 
wherever  she  was,  in  drawing-room,  theatre,  or  park,  her 
sharp  strident  voice  could  be  heard  all  over  the  place.  Cer- 
tainly she  was  silent  in  church,  but  it  must  have  been  an 
effort  for  her  to  hold  her  tongue,  and  she  fully  made  up  for 
it  when  she  was  outside  the  door,  by  chattering  all  the  way 
home.  Scandal  said  she  had  talked  her  husband  dead  and 
her  daughter  silent ;  and  certainly  the  Hon.  Guy  Dengelton 
was  safe  in  the  family  vault,  while  Eunice,  as  a  rule,  said 
very  little.  Mrs.  Dengelton  knew  every  one  and  everything, 
and,  were  it  the  fashion  to  write  memoirs,  after  the 
mode  of  the  eighteenth  century,  she  could  have  produced  a 
book  which  would  have  made  a  sensation,  and  been  sup- 
pressed—after the  first  edition.  Owing  to  her  incessant 
stream  of  small  talk,  she  was  known  in  society  as  "The 
Parrot,"  a  name  which  exactly  fitted  her,  as  she  had  a  hook 
nose,  beady  eyes,  and  always  dressed  in  gay  colors.  Add 
to  this  description  her  esprit,  as  she  called  it,  but  which 
scandal  said  was  French  for  the  vulgar  American  word 
"  jaw,"  and  you  have  a  faithful  portrait  of  the  most  dreaded 
woman  in  London. 

Reasons  ?  two  !  She  knew  stories  about  every  one,  which 
she  retailed  to  their  friends  at  the  pitch  of  her  voice  ;  and 
she  was  always  hunting  for  a  husband  for  Eunice.     Eldest 


22  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

sons  had  a  horror  of  her,  and  the  announcement  that  Mrs. 
Dengelton  was  to  be  at  any  special  ball  was  sufficient  to  keep 
all  the  eligible  young  men  away.  Consequently,  no  one  asked 
^'  The  Parrot "  to  a  dance  unless  the  invitation  was  dragged 
out  of  them ;  but  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  skilful  at  such  work, 
and  went  out  a  good  deal  during  the  season.  Hitherto  she 
had  not  been  successful  in  her  husband-hunting,  as  no  one 
would  marry  Eunice,  with  the  chance  of  having  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton as  mother-in-law.  Crispin  certainly  was  daring  enough 
to  pay  his  addresses,  but  Crispin  had  neither  name,  title, 
nor  family,  nothing  but  his  genius,  and  Mrs.  Dengelton 
therefore  frowned  on  his  suit.  When  Maurice  came  in  for 
the  Roylands  estate,  his  aunt  thought  it  would  be  splendid 
for  Eunice  to  marry  her  first  cousin,  "  just  to  keep  the 
property  in  the  family,"  as  Mrs.  Dengelton  put  it,  though 
how  such  a  saying  applied  in  this  case  it  is  rather  difficult 
to  see.  However,  The  Parrot  gladly  accepted  her  nephew's 
invitation, — when  she  arrived,  he  regretted  having  asked 
her  —  and  came  down  with  Eunice,  with  the  firm  determina- 
tion to  talk  Maurice  into  matrimony. 

She  was  very  angry  when  Crispin  arrived,  and  forbade 
Eunice  to  encourage  the  young  man,  but  she  could  scarcely 
turn  him  out  of  the  house,  as  she  would  have  liked  to  do, 
so  put  up  with  his  presence  as  best  she  could,  and  never 
lost  an  opportunity  of  saying  disagreeable  things  to  him  in 
a  covert  fashion. 

Eunice  herself  was  a  charmingly  pretty  girl,  who  very 
much  resented  the  way  in  which  her  mother  put  her  up  to 
auction,  but,  being  rather  weak-willed,  could  not  combat 
Mrs.  Dengelton's  determination,  and  submitted  quietly  to  be 
dragged  about  all  over  the  place,  with  the  hope  that  some 
day  a  modern  St.  George  would  deliver  her  from  this  dragon. 

St.  George,  long  looked  for,  unexpectedly  appeared  one 
day  in  the  person  of  Crispin,  and,  though  Mrs.  Dengelton 
laughed  at  the  idea  of  her  daughter  throwing  herself  away 
on  a  pauper,  Eunice,  nevertheless,  fell  in  love  with  the 
poet.  Crispin  would  have  married  her  at  once,  but,  in  spite 
of  her  anxiety  to  get  beyond  the  clack  of  Mrs.  Dengelton's 
tongue,  she  was  too  much  afraid  of  that  strong-willed  lady 
to  break  out  into  open  mutiny,  so  poor  St.  George  had  to 
adore  her  in  secret,  lest  the  dragon  should  pounce  down  on 
him. 

Crispin !  who  ever  heard  of  such  a  name  ?  being  the 
more  singular  as  it  had  neither  head  nor  tail.     If  he  had 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  23 

been  Henry  Crispin,  or  Crispin  Jones,  people  could  have 
put  up  with  the  oddness  of  the  sound ;  but  Crispin,  all  alone 
by  itself,  sounded  heathenish,  to  say  the  least  of  it.  No  one 
knew  who  Crispin  was,  or  where  he  came  from,  for  he  had 
suddenly  flashed  like  a  meteor  into  literary  London,  two 
years  previous,  with  a  book  of  brilliant  poems,  which  made 
a  great  success.  For  once  the  critics  were  unanimous  in 
praising  good  work,  and  pronounced  "  The  Roses  of  Shiraz, 
and  Other  Poems  "  to  be  the  finest  series  of  poetical  Eastern 
tales  since  Lord  Byron  had  enchanted  the  world  with  "  The 
G-iaour  "  and  "  The"^  Bride  of  Abydos."  For  the  critics'  praise 
or  blame  Crispin  seemed  to  care  but  little,  nor  did  he  satisfy 
the  curiosity  of  those  up  to  date  people  who  desired  to  meet 
him.  Sometimes  he  would  appear  in  a  Belgravian  drawing- 
room,  but  only  for  a  moment,  and  would  then  leave  England 
for  a  tour  in  his  beloved  East.  Just  when  the  w^orld  would 
begin  to  forget  him,  he  would  suddenly  reappear  in  society, 
and  fascinate  one  and  all  by  his  charming  manners.  Hand- 
some he  was  not,  being  small  and  dark,  but  he  was  as  lithe 
as  a  serpent,  and  his  dark  eyes  flashed  with  the  fierce  fire  of 
genius.  All  sorts  of  stories  were  told  about  him,  and  none 
of  them  were  correct,  though  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  ready  to 
swear  to  the  truth  of  at  least  half  a  dozen.  In  fact,  he 
puzzled  society  very  much,  and,  as  society  always  takes  to 
that  which  is  not  understandable,  Crispin  was  quite  the  lion 
of  the  season. 

An  article  called  "  The  Lord  Byron  of  our  days  "  appeared 
in  a  leading  society  paper,  which  retailed  wonders  about 
this  unknown  poet;  but  Crispin  neither  contradicted  nor 
affirmed  the  truth  of  these  statements,  therefore  became 
more  of  a  puzzle  than  ever.  He  was  a  brilliant  musician  ; 
he  talked  several  languages,  and  seemed  to  have  been  all 
over  the  world  ;  but  beyond  this  he  was  a  mystery.  To  no 
one,  not  even  to  Maurice,  who  was  his  closest  friend,  did  he 
tell  the  story  of  his  life,  and  even  Mrs.  Dengelton,  who  was 
an  adept  at  finding  out  things  people  did  not  want  known, 
could  make  nothing  of  him. 

Then  Crispin  met  Eunice,  and  all  his  heart  went  out  to 
this  dainty,  dark-haired  girl,  who  spoke  so  seldom,  but  whose 
eyes  and  gestures  were  so  eloquent.  "The  Fairy  of  Mid- 
night," he  called  her,  and  often  wondered  how  such  a 
woman  as  Mrs.  Dengelton  ever  came  to  have  so  silent  and 
lovely  a  daughter.  To  Crispin,  steeped  in  the  lore  of  the 
East,  she  was  like  a  Peri,  and  her  love  inspired  him  with 


24  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

wondrous  love  poems,  some  of  which  appeared  in  The  Nine- 
teenth Century  and  The  Fortnightly  Review.  Whether  he 
told  her  who  he  was  is  doubtful  —  if  he  did,  Eunice  never 
betrayed  his  confidence,  for  she  was  a  woman  who  could 
keep  a  secret,  which  was  a  miracle,  seeing  her  mother  was 
such  a  gossip.  They  loved  and  suffered  in  silence  with  such 
discretion,  that  even  keen-eyed  Mrs.  Dengelton  did  not  guess 
the  understanding  which  existed  between  them,  and  was 
hard  at  work  trying  to  arrange  a  marriage  with  Maurice, 
quite  unaware  that  her  meek  daughter  had  made  up  her 
mind  to  marry  no  one  but  this  mysterious  Crispin. 

Sitting  at  the  piano,  Crispin  was  playing  a  wild  Eastern 
air  with  the  soft  pedal  down,  and  looking  at  Eunice,  whose 
eyes  responded  eloquently  to  his  glances.  Neither  of  them 
paid  much  attention  to  the  chatter  of  The  Parrot,  who  was 
quite  ignorant  of  the  love-making  going  on  under  her  nose, 
for  both  Eunice  and  Crispiu  had  arrived  at  the  stage  of  com- 
plete union  of  souls  which  renders  words  superfluous  while 
eyes  can  talk. 

Mrs.  Dengelton  was  doing  a  parrot  in  beadwork  for  a 
screen,  and  the  gaudy  bird  might  have  passed  for  her  por- 
trait, so  like  her  did  it  seem.  Luckily,  the  beadwork  parrot 
could  not  talk,  but  its  creator  could,  and  did,  with  as  few 
pauses  as  possible. 

"  As  I  was  saying,  my  dear  Eunice,  there  is  something 
very  strange  about  this  silence  of  my  dear  nephew.  I've  no 
doubt  it  is  smoking  too  much,  —  so  many  young  men  smoke 
in  that  dreadful  place,  Bloomsbury,  where  he  lived,  —  or  per- 
haps he  feels  a  little  out  of  society  after  living  so  long  away 
from  it.  Oh,  I  know  Bloomsbury  !  yes  !  I  sometimes  visit 
the  poor  there.  How  strange  I  never  came  across  poor  dear 
Maurice  !  He  is  so  sadly  altered,  not  gay  like  he  used  to  be. 
I  do  not  really  think  he  knows  how  to  laugh,  and  "  — 

At  this  moment,  as  if  to  give  the  lie  to  Mrs.  Dengelton 's 
assertion,  her  nephew  entered  the  room,  laughing,  in  com- 
pany with  the  Rector;  but  the  good  lady  did  not  know  that 
she  was  the  cause  of  this  hilarity,  and  at  once  began  to  deluge 
the  new-comers  with  the  fountain  of  her  small  talk. 

"Now,  my  dear  Rector  and  my  dear  ^laurice,  what  are  you 
laughing  at  ?  Is  it  some  amusing  joke  ?  Oh,  I  am  sure  it 
is !  Eunice,  Mr.  Crispin,  we  are  going  to  be  told  something 
funny  "  — 

"  But  really,  my  dear  lady,"  began  the  Rector,  with  uplifted 
hand,  "I"  — 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  25 

"  Kow  you  need  not  tell  me  it  is  not  funny,  because  it  has 
made  Maurice  laugh,  and  he  has  been  as  grave  as  a  judge 
since  we  came  down.  I  was  just  saying  to  Eunice  when  you 
came  in  "  — 

"  ^[y  dear  aunt,  the  joke  is  not  worth  telling  you,"  said 
Maurice,  in  desperation  cutting  her  short. 

"  Ah,  I  knew  there  was  a  joke  !  Do  tell  it  to  Eunice  !  she 
is  so  fond  of  amusing  stories,  especially  from  you." 

^Maurice  flushed  angrily. 

"  I  don't  tell  amusing  stories,"  he  said  curtly,  and  walked 
across  to  the  piano. 

"  Such  a  bad  temper  !  "  sighed  the  Parrot,  shaking  her  head  ; 
'-  so  like  his  poor  dear  father,  who  foamed  at  the  mouth  when 
in  a  rage." 

"Oh,  come,  not  so  bad  as  that,"  said  the  Eector  good- 
naturedly. 

"  My  dear  Rector,  I  assure  you  I  have  seen  Austin  "  — And 
then  Mrs.  Dengelton  began  a  long,  rambling  story,  which 
had  no  beginning  and  certainly  did  not  appear  to  have  an 
end,  for  she  droned  on  until  the  poor  Rector  was  quite  weary, 
and  was  much  put  to  to  conceal  his  yawns. 

Meanwhile,  Maurice,  remembering  what  the  Rector  had 
told  him  about  the  young  couple,  looked  keenly  at  the  poet 
and  then  at  his  cousin,  at  which  inspection  they  naturally 
felt  somewhat  embarrassed. 

"  Yes  ?  "  said  Eunice  at  length,  in  an  interrogative  fashion. 

"  Oh,  nothing,  nothing  ! "  he  responded  hastily ;  "  I  was 
only  wondering  what  you  were  talking  about," 

"We  were  not  talking  at  all,"  said  Crispin,  running  his 
fingers  over  the  keys  ;  "  on  the  contrary,  we  were  listening  to 
Mrs.  Dengelton." 

Maurice  smiled  absently,  and  tagged  moodily  at  his  mus- 
tache. 

"  You  have  a  charming  place  here,  Roylands,"  remarked 
Crispin,  more  for  the  sake  of  saying  something  than  for  the 
importance  of  the  remark ;  "  I  would  like  to  settle  down  in 
this  quiet  village." 

"  You  !  "  said  Maurice  in  astonishment ;  "  the  bird  of  pas- 
sage who  is  never  off  the  wing  !  Why,  you  would  die  of  ennui 
in  a  week." 

'•Ah,  that  depends  on  the  company,"  answered  Crispin, 
stealing  a  glance  at  Eunice,  who  sat  silently  playing  with  her 
fan. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  am  not  very  lively  company,"   observed 


26  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Maurice,  with  a  sigh,  not  noticing  the  glance ;  "  there  is  so 
little  to  talk  about  nowadays." 

"  Poetry." 

"I'm  tired  of  poetry." 

"  Music." 

"  Too  much  music  is  dreary.  I  heard  such  a  lot  in  London." 

"  Then  jow  must  love  scandal." 

"  Ah,  that  is  a  hint  that  my  dear  aunt  can  amuse  me." 

"  Maurice  !  "  said  Eunice,  with  a  frown. 

"  Now  don't  be  angry,  my  dear  cousin.  Talking  scandal 
is  a  very  harmless  occupation,  and,  as  the  Rector  seems 
interested,  I  think  I  will  go  and  hear  the  latest  story  of  Bel- 
gravia.  But,  Crispin,  I  wish  you  would  take  my  cousin  on 
to  the  terrace  —  the  sky  is  worth  looking  at  with  moon  and 
clouds." 

Crispin  darted  a  look  of  gratitude  at  him,  and  Maurice, 
delighted  at  thus  foiling  his  aunt's  schemes,  went  off  to  hear 
that  lady's  conversation. 

The  two  lovers  at  the  piano  were  afraid  to  move  for  a  time, 
lest  they  should  attract  Mrs.  Dengelton's  attention,  and  thus 
be  stopped  from  leaving  the  room  ;  but  when  they  saw  her 
deep  in  conversation  v/ith  the  two  gentlemen,  they  stole 
quietly  to  the  French  window  at  the  end  of  the  room,  through 
which  they  speedily  gained  the  terrace. 

"  Do  you  feel  cold,  Eunice  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  noticing  his 
companion  shiver. 

"A  little." 

"  Wait  a  moment,  then.  Your  mother  left  a  shawl  near 
the  window,  I'll  fetch  it  to  you  at  once." 

"  Take  care  she  does  not  see  you." 

"  Not  much  fear  of  that ;  she  has  an  audience,  and  is 
happy." 

He  went  off  laughing  quietly ;  and  Eunice,  leaning  on  the 
balustrade  of  the  terrace,  stared  at  the  wonderful  beauty  of 
the  sky.  Away  in  the  west  shone  the  silver  round  of  the 
moon,  and  below  her  were  gigantic  black  clouds,  the  edges 
of  which  were  tipped  with  lig-lit.  They  looked  like  gigantic 
rocks  piled  up  from  earth  to  heaven,  and  above  them  shone 
the  serene  planet  in  an  expanse  of  blue,  as  if  she  scorned 
their  efforts  to  veil  her  face.  Far  below  Eunice  heard  the 
musical  splash  of  the  fountains,  and  the  chill  odors  of 
flowers  floated  upward,  as  though  drawn  by  the  spell  of  her 
beauty.  She  looked  wonderfully  lovely  with  her  delicate 
face  turned  upward  to  the  moon,  and  so  thought  Crispin,  as 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  27 

he  came  lightly  along  the  terrace  with  the  fleecy  shawl  over 
his  arm. 

"I  shall  no  longer  call  you  the  Fairy  of  Midnight,"  he 
whispered,  wrapping  the  shawl  round  her  shoulders  ;  "  your 
name  will  be  the  '  Moon  Elf.'  " 

"  Ah,  what  a  charming  title  for  a  fairy  story ! "  said 
Eunice,  who  was  anything  but  silent  when  away  from  her 
mother.     "  Why  do  you  not  write  a  fairy  story  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  living  one  now." 

"  Flatterer  ! " 

"  No  ;  I  am  speaking  the  truth.  I  adore  a  lovely  princess, 
who  is  guarded  by  an  elderly  dragon  breathing  the  fire  of 
scandal "  — 

"  You  must  not  talk  of  my  mother  like  that." 

"  Then  I  will  not.  She  is  the  most  charming  lady  I 
know." 

"  Oh  ! " 

"  What !  you  are  not  pleased  at  that  ?  My  dearest 
Eunice,  how  cruel  you  are  !  But  indeed  I  do  not  love  your 
mother.     She  will  not  let  me  marry  you." 

"No ;  she  wants  me  to  marry  Maurice,"  said  Eunice,  with 
a  sigh. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  ambition  will  never  be  gratified. 
Maurice  is  our  friend." 

"Do  you  think  he  knows  we  love  one  another  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  he  does.  But  he  knows  to-night  for  the  first 
time  ;  I  saw  it  in  his  eyes  when  he  looked  at  us." 

"  How  can  he  have  guessed  ?  " 

"He  did  not  guess.  No;  Roylands  has  never  been  in 
love,  and  only  a  lover  can  recognize  the  silent  eloquence  of 
love.     But  I  think  that  keen-eyed  old  Rector  "  — 

"  W^hat !  Mr.  Carriston  ?  Impossible  !  How  could  he 
tell  we  loved  one  another  ?  " 

"  Well,  going  by  the  theory  I  have  propounded,  he  must 
have  at  one  time  of  his  life  been  in  love  himself,  and  there- 
fore intuitively  guessed  our  hidden  romance." 

"  But  he  is  a  bachelor." 

"Ah,  then  he  has  had  a  romance  also!  An  extinct  volcano 
perhaps." 

"  And  Maurice  ?  " 

"  Is  not  a  volcano  at  all  —  at  least,  not  so  far  as  I  know. 
He  has  never  been  in  love  yet,  but  he  will  be  some  day." 

"  When  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  I  cannot  lift  the  veil  of  the  future.  But  I 
admit  Maurice  with  his  melancholia  puzzles  me." 


28  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Well,  you  puzzle  every  one  yourself.  They  call  you  the 
riddle  of  London." 

"  I  will  explain  my  riddle  self  to  you  when  we  marry." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  will  never  be." 

"  Indeed  it  will,"  he  said  gayly.  "  But  you  need  not  be 
afraid  of  my  mystery  ;  I  have  no  Bluebeard  chamber  to  keep 
locked,  I  assure  you.  Do  you  hesitate  to  marry  me  on 
account  of  my  so-called  mystery  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  trust  you  too  much  for  that." 

"My  dearest!" 

At  this  moment  the  moon  veiled  her  face  discreetly  behind 
a  wandering  cloud,  and  their  lips  met  in  a  kiss  —  a  kiss  of 
pure  and  enduring  love.  Then  Crispin  tenderly  wrapped  the 
shawl  closer  round  the  shoulders  of  Eunice,  and  arm  in  arm 
they  strolled  up  and  down  the  terrace,  talking  of  their  pres- 
ent despairs,  their  future  hopes,  and  their  possible  marriage. 

Meanwhile,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  quite  unaware  of  the  way  in 
which  all  her  matrimonial  schemes  were  being  baffled  by  this 
audacious  poet,  was  holding  forth  to  Maurice  and  the  Rector 
on  the  subject  of  a  family  romance.  For  once  in  her  life  she 
proved  interesting,  for  IVIaurice  only  knew  the  skeleton  of 
Koylands  by  name,  and  was  quite  unaware  of  the  reason  it 
was  locked  up  in  the  cupboard.  It  was  wonderful  what  a 
lot  of  good  the  conversation  of  the  Rector  had  done  him,  and 
now,  having  been  once  roused  out  of  his  melancholia,  he  was 
quite  interested  by  the  story  which  his  aunt  was  telling. 
The  Rev.  Stephen  Carriston  noticed  the  bright  look  on  his 
usually  sad  face,  and  was  delighted  thereat. 

"  I  will  complete  the  cure  to-morrow,"  he  repeated  to  him- 
self ;  and  then  prepared  to  listen  to  Mrs.  Dengelton's  story, 
which  interested  him  very  much,  the  more  so  as  he  knew  the 
principal  actor  concerned  therein. 

"  Of  course  I  only  speak  from  hearsay,  my  dear  Rector," 
she  said,  laying  aside  her  beadwork  so  as  to  give  her  elo- 
quence every  chance ;  "  at  the  time  these  events  took  place 
I  was  just  a  baby  in  long  clothes.  You,  Rector,  perhaps 
know  the  story  better  than  I  do." 

"No;  I  had  just  left  college  when  Rudolph  Roylands  ran 
away,  but  I  knew  him  at  the  university." 

"  Ah  yes ;  of  course.  You  were  very  friendly  with  both 
my  brothers,  I  believe,  so  it  is  curious  they  never  told  you  of 
their  love  for  Rose  Silverton." 

"  Well  —  I  heard  something  about  it,"  said  the  Rector, 
with  a  hesitating  glance  at  Maurice. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  29 

"  Oh,  my  dear  Eector,  I  am  going  to  say  nothing  against 
my  sister-in-law.     She  was  a  very  charming  woman." 

'^  She  was  all  that  was  good  and  pure,"  remarked  Maurice 
abruptly ;  annoyed,  he  knew  not  why,  at  the  tone  adopted 
by  Mrs.  DengeUon  in  speaking  of  his  dead  mother. 

"  Yes,  I  know  she  was.  Still,  my  dear  Maurice,  you  must 
pardon  my  plain  speech,  but  she  did  flirt  terribly  with  Ru- 
dolph." 

"  My  lost  uncle  ?     Ridiculous  ! " 

"  It  is  not  ridiculous  at  all,"  said  the  lady,  drawing  herself 
up ;  "  it  was  on  your  mother's  account  Rudolph  left  Eng- 
land." 

"  Who  said  so  ?  "  demanded  Maurice  indignantly. 

"  Every  one  ;  even  your  father." 

Maurice  was  about  to  make  some  remark,  when  he  caught 
sight  of  a  warning  look  on  Carriston's  face,  therefore  held 
his  peace. 

''  What  I  was  about  to  remark,"  pursued  Mrs.  Dengelton, 
choosing  her  words  carefully,  "  was  that,  when  my  brothers, 
Rudolph  and  Austin,  came  home, — the  first  from  his  regi- 
ment, the  second  from  college,  —  they  both  fell  in  love  with 
Rose  Silverton,  whose  father  was  a  retired  captain  in  the 
army.  Rudolph,  as  you  know.  Rector,  was  the  heir  to  Roy- 
lands,  and  Captain  Silverton  naturally  wanted  Rose  to  marry 
him,  as  the  match  was  such  a  good  one.  She,  however,  pre- 
ferred Austin." 

"Love  versus  Money,  and  Love  was  triumphant,"  said 
Maurice,  smiling. 

"  If  you  put  it  like  that,  I  suppose  it  was,"  replied  his 
aunt  frigidly.  "  Well,  Rose,  as  I  have  said,  flirted  consider- 
ably with  Rudolph,  though  she  loved  my  brother  Austin 
best.  Oh,  you  need  not  shake  your  head,  Rector  —  Rose  did 
flirt !  " 

"  My  dear  aunt,  spare  the  dead,"  observed  Maurice,  with  a 
groan,  for  this  old  lady  was  really  terrible  with  her  malig- 
nant tongue. 

"  I  hope  I  am  too  good  a  churchwoman  to  speak  evil  of 
any  one,  dead  or  alive,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton,  with  dignity. 
"  But  I  will  make  no  further  remarks  if  they  are  so  displeas- 
ing to  you,  though  why  they  should  be  displeasing  I  cannot 
conceive.  Well,  to  gratify  her  father.  Rose  appeared  to  fa- 
vor Rudolph,  but  in  secret  she  met  Austin.  Such  dupli- 
city !     I  beg  your  pardon,  Maurice,  but  it  was  duplicity." 

The  Rector  sighed,  and  Mrs.  Dengelton  looked  curiously  at 


30  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

him,  as  if  she  guessed  the  meaning  of  the  sigh,  then  re- 
sumed her  story  without  commenting  thereon,  to  Carris- 
tou's  evident  relief. 

"  Rudolph  in  some  way  came  to  hear  of  these  stolen  meet- 
ings, and  surprised  Austin  walking  with  Rose  one  June 
evening.  The  brothers  came,  I  regret  to  say,  to  blows, 
while  Rose  looked  on  in  horror.  Austin,  being  the  3'ounger 
and  weaker,  could  not  stand  against  the  furious  onslaught  of 
Rudolph,  who  stunned  him  with  a  blow,  then,  thinking  he 
had  killed  him,  kissed  Rose,  who  had  fainted,  and  disap- 
peared forever.  He  returned  to  London,  left  the  army,  and 
went  away  to  the  East,  with*  a  considerable  sum  of  money 
which  he  inherited  from  his  mother.'' 

"  And  my  father  and  mother  ?  "  asked  ^Maurice  breath- 
lessly. 

"  Were  found  by  some  laborers  insensible ;  the  one  from 
fear,  the  other  from  the  blow  given  to  him  by  his  brother. 
They  were  taken  to  their  respective  homes,  and  when  Austin 
got  well  again,  he  married  Rose  in  due  course.  I  believe 
your  father  and  mother  were  very  happy  in  their  married 
life,  Maurice,  but  they  were  singularly  unfortunate  in  the 
fate  of  their  children.  Your  brothers  and  sisters,  four  of 
them  born  during  the  early  period  of  the  marriage,  all  died ; 
and  you,  who  came  into  the  world  nearly  twenty  years  after 
the  marriage,  were  the  only  child  who  lived." 

"And  how  long  ago  did  all  this  happen,  aunt  ?  " 

"  Cannot  you  think  it  out  for  yourself  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Denegel- 
ton  tartly.  "You  are  now  thirty -five;  you  were  born — let 
me  see  —  about  fifteen  years  after  the  marriage,  so  altogether 
Rudolph  disappeared  fifty  years  ago." 

"  And  has  not  been  heard  of  since  ?  " 

"No;  all  inquiries  were  made,  but  nothing  came  of  tliem," 
replied  the  lady,  shaking  her  head.  "  I  suppose  Rudolph 
thought  he  had  killed  Austin,  and  left  England  to  avoid  ar- 
rest. At  all  events,  not  a  soul  has  heard  of  him  since. 
Where  he  went,  no  one  knows  ;  but  by  this  time,  I  have  no 
doubt  he  is  dead." 

"  Poor  Uncle  Rudolph,  what  an  unhappy  fate ! "  said 
Maurice  thoughtfully. 

"Ah,  I  always  did  blame  Rose  for  that  quarrel!"  cried 
Mrs.  Dengelton  sourly. 

"My  mother" — began  Maurice  indignantly,  when  the  Rec- 
tor stopped  him. 

"  Your  mother  was  not  to  blame,  my  dear  Maurice,"  he 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  31 

said,  rising  to  his  feet.  "  I  know  more  about  this  story  than 
Mrs.  Dengelton  thinks." 

A  sniff  was  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Dengelton's  only  reply,  which 
was  vulgar,  but  eloquent  of  disbelief. 

Carriston's  face,  generally  ruddy,  looked  somewhat  pale, 
and  Maurice  wondered  what  could  be  the  reason  for  such  a 
loss  of  color.  The  old  man  saw  his  inquiring  look,  and  arose 
to  take  his  leave. 

"I  must  say  good-night,  my  dear  Maurice,"  he  said,  giv- 
ing his  hand  to  Mrs.  Dengelton.  ''  I  am  not  so  young  as  I 
once  was,  and  keep  early  hours." 

At  this  moment,  as  if  guided  by  some  happy  fate,  Eunice, 
in  company  with  Crispin,  entered  the  room  at  the  back  of 
Mrs.  Dengelton,  and  returned  to  their  seats  without  her  hav- 
ing noticed  their  absence. 

"  Good-night,  sir,"  said  Crispin,  coming  forward  to  shake 
hands  with  the  Rector. 

"  How  quiet  you  have  been  !  "  remarked  Mrs.  Dengelton 
suspiciously.     '•'  Where  is  my  daughter  ?  " 

^'  Here,  mamma  ; "  and  Eunice  came  forward  in  the  demur- 
est manner. 

"  Were  you  listening  to  my  story  ?  "  asked  her  mother  in- 
quiringly, — ''  my  story  about  your  Uncle  Rudolph  leaving 
England  ?  " 

"No,"  interposed  Crispin  quickly,  before  Eunice  could 
speak  ;  "  we  were  discussing  photographs  on  yonder  sofa." 

"Photographs,  eh?"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton,  with  a  frown, 
for  she  knew  what  looking  over  a  photograph  album  meant 
in  this  case,  but  did  not  see  her  way  to  make  further  remark. 

The  Rector  said  good-night  to  every  one,  and  then  de- 
parted, accompanied  by  Maurice,  who  walked  with  him  as 
far  as  the  park  gates.  Here  they  separated,  after  Maurice 
had  promised  faithfully  to  call  at  the  Rectory  the  next  day, 
and  the  old  clergyman  went  home,  while  his  pupil  returned 
to  the  Grange  in  a  thoughtful  manner. 

"  I  wonder,"  he  said  to  himself,  pausing  for  a  moment  in 
the  shadowy  avenue,  —  "I  wonder  if  my  uncle  is  still  alive. 
If  he  is,  I  am  wrongfully  in  possession  of  Roylands.  Sup- 
pose he  came  back  and  claimed  it,  I  would  once  more  be 
penniless.  Well,"  he  sighed,  resuming  his  walk,  "perhaps 
that  would  be  the  best  thing  that  could  happen,  for  work 
means  happiness,  and  earning  one's  bread  forces  a  man  to 
take  a  deep  interest  in  life  whether  he  will  or  no." 


32  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 


CHAPTER   III. 


THE    RECTOR  S    ROMANCE. 

In  pity  for  our  painful  strife 

God  aids  us  from  above, 
And  every  mortal  in  his  life 

Plucks  once  the  rose  of  love. 

The  flower  may  bloom,  the  flower  may  fade, 

As  love  brings  joys  or  woes, 
Still  in  the  heart  of  youth  and  maid 

That  sacred  blossom  grows. 

'Tis  cherished  through  declining  years, 

Amid  death's  coming  glooms, 
And  watered  by  regretful  tears, 

The  flower  eternal  blooms. 

Nor  death  that  rose  from  us  can  part, 

For  when  the  body  dies. 
All  broken  on  the  broken  heart. 

That  bud  of  heaven  lies. 

KoYLANDS  Kectory  was  a  comfortable-looking  house,  dis- 
tant about  a  mile  from  the  Grange,  and  near  the  village, 
which  was  an  extremely  small  one.  Indeed,  although  the 
parish  was  large,  the  Rector's  congregation  was  not,  and  his 
clerical  occupation  did  not  entail  much  work.  Nevertheless, 
Stephen  Carriston  did  his  best  to  attend  to  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  souls  under  his  charge  ;  and  if  the  hardest  day's 
work  still  left  him  with  plenty  of  spare  time  on  his  hands, 
that  could  hardly  be  called  his  fault.  The  Rector  abhorred 
idleness,  which  is  said  to  be  the  mother  of  all  the  vices,  and 
managed  to  fill  up  his  unoccupied  hours  in  a  sufficiently 
pleasant  manner  by  indulging  in  occupations  congenial  to 
his  tastes.  He  was  now  engaged  in  translating  the  comedies 
of  Aristophanes  into  English  verse,  and  found  the  biting 
wit  of  the  great  Athenian  playwright  very  delightful  after 
the  dull  brains  of  his  parishioners.  For  the  rest,  he  pottered 
about  his  garden  and  attended  to  his  roses,  which  were  the 
pride  of  his  heart,  as  well  they  might  be,  seeing  that  his 
small  plot  of  ground  was  a  perfect  bower  of  loveliness. 

It  is  at  this  point  that  the  pen  fails  and  the  brush  should 
come  in  ;  for  it  would  be  simply  impossible  to  give  in  bald 
prose  an  adequate  description  of  the  paradise  of  flowers  con- 
tained within  the  red  brick  walls  which  enclosed  the  garden 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  33 

on  three  sides.  The  fourth  side  was  the  house,  a  quaint,  low- 
roofed,  old-fashioned  place,  with  deep  diamond-paned  lat- 
tices, and  stacks  of  curiously-twisted  chimneys.  Built  in 
the  reign  of  the  Second  Charles,  it  yet  bore  the  date  of  its 
erection,  1666,  the  annus  mirahllls  of  Dryden,  when  half 
London  was  swept  away  by  the  fire,  and  half  its  inhabitants 
by  the  plague.  Rector  Carriston  liked  this  house,  — nay, 
like  is  too  weak  a  word,  he  loved  it,  —  as  its  antiquity,  match- 
ing with  his  own,  pleased  him  ;  and  besides,  having  resided 
within  its  red-tiled  roof  for  over  thirty  years,  it  was  natural 
that  he  should  be  deeply  attached  to  its  quaint  walls  and 
still  quainter  rooms. 

But  the  garden  !  oh,  the  garden  was  a  miracle  of  beauty ! 
and  only  Crispin,  who  deals  in  such  lovelinesses,  could 
describe  its  perfections,  as  he  did  indeed  long  afterwards, 
when  the  good  Rector  was  dead,  and  could  not  read  the 
glowing  verse  which  eulogized  his  roses.  Three  moderately 
high  brick  walls,  one  running  parallel  to  the  high  road,  so 
that  the  Rector  could  keep  a  vigilant  eye  on  the  incomings 
and  outgoings  of  his  villagers,  fenced  in  this  modern  garden 
of  Alcinous,  and  these  three  walls  were  almost  hidden  by 
the  foliage  of  peach  and  apricot  and  nectarine,  for  it  was 
now  midsummer,  and  nature  was  decked  out  in  her  gayest 
robes.  A  dial  in  the  middle  of  the  smooth  lawn,  with 
its  warning  motto,  which  the  Rector  did  not  believe,  as 
Time  only  sauntered  with  him;  a  noble  elm,  wherein 
the  thrush  fluted  daily,  and  a  bower  of  greenery,  in  which 
the  nightingale  piped  nightly  :  it  was  truly  an  ideal  re- 
treat, rendered  still  more  perfect  by  the  roses.  The  roses  ! 
oh,  the  red,  white,  and  yellow  roses  !  how  they  bloomed  in 
profusion  under  the  old  red  wall,  which  drew  the  heat  of  the 
sun  into  its  breast,  and  then  showered  it  second-hand  on  the 
delicate,  warmth-loving  flowers.  Great  creamy  buds,  trem- 
bling amid  their  green  leaves  at  the  caress  of  the  wind, 
gorgeously  crimson  blossoms  burning  incense  to  the  hot  sun, 
pale-tinted  flowers,  which  flushed  delicately  at  the  dawn 
hour,  and  bright  yellow  orbs,  which  looked  as  though  the  touch 
of  Midas  had  turned  them  into  gold.  All  the  bees  for  miles 
around  knew  that  garden,  and  the  finest  honey  in  the  neigh- 
borhood owed  its  existence  to  the  constant  visits  they  paid 
to  that  wilderness  of  sweets. 

Such  a  bright  morning  as  it  was  !  Above,  the  blue  sky, 
in  which  the  sun  burned  lustily,  below,  the  green  earth, 
pranked  with  flowers,  and  betwcan  these  two  splendors,  the 


34  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

Rector,  armed  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  strolling  contentedly 
about  his  small  domain.  From  the  adjacent  fields,  where 
the  corn  was  yet  young,  sprang  a  brown-feathered  lark, 
which  arose  higher  and  higher  in  spiral  circles,  singing  as 
though  his  throat  would  burst  with  melody,  until,  the  high- 
est point  attained,  he  ceased  his  liquid  warblings,  and  fell 
earthward  like  a  stone.  Indeed,  the  Rector  had  no  lack  of 
music,  for  the  larks  awoke  him  in  the  morning,  the  thrushes 
piped  to  him  at  noon,  and  when  night  fell  the  divine  niglitin- 
gale  pouring  forth  her  impassioned  strains  wooed  him  from 
his  study,  where  he  was  reading  the  Aristophanic  rendering 
of  her  song,  to  listen  to  the  reality,  before  which  even  the 
magical  Greek  verse  seemed  harsh.  'Twas  an  ideal  place, 
and  in  it  the  Rector  lived  an  ideal  existence,  far  away  from 
the  noise  and  restlessness  of  our  modern  civilization.  In  his 
study  he  had  the  books  of  genius,  which  he  greatly  loved, 
but  in  his  garden  he  possessed  the  book  of  God,  which  he 
loved  still  more  ;  and  even  had  not  he  been  a  devout  believer 
in  the  goodness  of  the  Almighty,  surely  that  garden  would 
have  converted  him  with  its  dewy  splendors. 

An  odd  figure  looked  Mr.  Carriston,  shuffling  about  in  a 
pair  of  comfortable  old  slippers,  a  very  raven  in  blackness, 
save  for  the  wide-brimmed  straw  hat  shading  his  gray  hairs, 
his  benevolent-looking  face.  With  a  green  watering-pan  in 
one  hand,  and  the  scissors  in  the  other,  he  pried  and  peered 
among  his  beloved  flowers,  with  his  two  pets  —  a  cat  and  a 
magpie  —  at  his  heels,  and  clipped  off  a  dead  leaf  here, 
plucked  a  withered  blossom  there,  with  the  tenderest  anxiety 
for  the  well-being  of  the  roses. 

"  Dear,  dear !  "  sighed  the  Rector,  pausing  before  a  droop- 
ing-looking  Gloire  de  Dijon ;  "  this  does  not  seem  at  all 
healthy.  It  needs  rain  —  in  fact,  I  think  the  flowers  would 
be  none  the  worse  of  a  shower  or  so ;  but  there's  no  sign  of 
rain,"  looking  anxiously  up  to  the  cloudless  sky.  "  I  wonder 
if  a  little  manure  "  — 

Down  went  the  Rector  on  his  knees,  and  began  grubbing 
about  the  roots  of  the  plant,  much  to  the  discomfort  of  the 
magpie,  who  hopped  about  near  him  in  an  agitated  manner. 

"A  brass  thimble,"  said  Mr.  Carriston,  making  a  dis- 
covery, "  a  copper,  and  three  blue  beads.  The  roots  of  the 
plant  wounded,  too,  with  scratching.  This  is  your  work, 
Simon.  I  wish  you  would  hide  your  rubbish  somewhere 
else." 

The  magpie,  otherwise  Simon,  made  a  vicious  peck  at  th© 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  35 

Rector's  hand,  to  revenge  himself  for  the  discovery  of  his 
treasure ;  then,  anxious  to  save  something,  snatched  up  the 
thimble  and  made  off  hastily. 

"Too  bad  of  Simon,"  murmured  Mr.  Carriston,  rubbing  his 
nose  in  a  vexed  manner.  "  I  will  have  to  ask  Mukle  to  keep 
him  in  the  back  yard.     Ah,  Mukle  !  what  is  it  ?  " 

Mukle  —  to  the  rector,  Mrs.  Mukle  to  her  friends  —  was  a 
hard-featured,  bony  woman,  who  looked  as  if  she  had  been 
cut  out  of  a  deal  board.  Her  cooking  was  much  more  agree- 
able than  her  appearance,  and,  having  been  with  the  rector 
—  whom  she  adored  —  for  many  years,  she  knew  to  a  turn 
what  he  liked  and  what  he  did  not  like,  therefore  suited  him 
admirably  in  her  double  capacity  of  cook  and  housekeeper. 

"  Mr.  Roylands,  sir  ! "  announced  Mukle  grimly. 

"  Oh,  where  is  he  ?  " 

"Study,  sir,"  responded  Mukle,  who  was  a  lady  with  a 
firm  belief  in  the  golden  rule  of  silence. 

"  Ask  him  to  come  here." 

An  assenting  sniff  was  Mukle's  only  reply,  and,  turning  on 
her  heel  in  a  military  fashion,  — the  late  Mr.  Mukle  had  been 
a  soldier,  —  she  strode  back  to  the  house  like  a  grenadier. 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  Carriston,  having  risen  to  his  feet,  was 
dusting  his  knees,  and,  while  thus  engaged,  saw  Maurice 
coming  towards  him.  Assuredly  the  master  of  the  Grange 
was  a  tine  specimen  of  humanity,  for  he  was  over  six  feet  in 
height,  and,  being  arrayed  in  shooting-coat,  knickerbockers, 
and  deerstalker's  hat,  looked  a  remarkably  striking  figure. 
He  would  have  looked  better  had  his  face  borne  a  smile,  but, 
as  it  was,  he  came  solemnly  forward  and  took  the  rector's 
outstretched  hand  as  if  he  was  chief  mourner  at  a  funeral. 

"You  shouldn't  be  a  country  gentleman,  Maurice,"  said 
Mr.  Carriston,  after  the  usual  greetings  had  been  exchanged. 
"The  occupation  of  a  monk  would  suit  you  better." 

Maurice  said  nothing,  but  sighed  wearily. 

"  Come  now,  my  dear  lad ;  if  you  sigh  in  that  fashion,  I 
shall  suspect  you  of  being  a  lover,  in  spite  of  your  assevera- 
tion to  the  contrary." 

"A  man  can't  marry  his  aunt,  and  as  Crispin  wants  to 
marry  Eunice,  no  one  is  left  for  me  but  my  honorable  rela- 
tion." 

"  Try  Mukle." 

"  Too  much  of  a  grenadier." 

"  I  think  you  are  the  same  —  in  height,"  said  the  Rector, 
looking  approvingly  at  his  tall  friend.     "  If  old  Father  Fritz 


36  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

had  seen  the  pair  of  ye,  I  think  he  would  have  insisted  upon 
the  marriage,  so  as  to  breed  a  race  of  giants.  But,  dear, 
dear !  what  nonsense  we  talk  !  Come  and  sit  down,  my  lad. 
Will  you  smoke  ?  " 

"  No,  thank  you,  sir.  I'm  tired  of  smoking." 
"  Maurice,  if  you  go  on  in  this  fashion,  I  will  be  angry 
with  you.  It's  a  beautiful  day,  so  you  ought  to  have  a  beau- 
tiful smile  on  your  face.  Listen  to  that  lark  !  Does  not  its 
gush  of  song  thrill  your  heart  ?  Admire  my  roses  !  Where, 
even  in  the  gorgeous  East,  will  you  see  such  splendor  ?  The 
birds  sing,  the  sun  shines,  the  flowers  bloom,  and  yet  you  are 
as  discontented  as  if  you  were  shut  up  between  four  bare 
walls.  Maurice,  I'm  really  and  truly  ashamed  of  your  ingrat- 
itude to  God  for  His  many  gifts."  Maurice  made  no  reply, 
but  punched  holes  in  the  gravel  with  his  walking-stick. 
^'  Now  you  wait  here,  my  lad,"  said  the  Eector,  recovering 
breath  after  his  little  lecture,  "and  see  if  yon  lark  will  sing 
you  into  a  better  frame  of  mind.  It  may  be  the  David  to 
your  Saul,  and  drive  the  evil  spirit  out  of  you.  I  am  going 
away  to  wash  my  hands,  which  are  somewhat  grubby  with 
my  gardening,  and  will  return  in  a  few  moments." 

Off  went  the  Kector  with  a  light  step,  as  springy  as  that 
of  a  young  man,  and  Maurice  looked  after  him  in  sheer  envy 
of  such  light-heartedness. 

"  Why  cannot  I  be  happy  like  that  ?  "  he  sighed,  baring 
his  head  to  the  cool  breeze. 

Did  ever  a  man  ask  himself  so  ridiculous  a  question? 
Here  was  a  healthy  young  man,  of  good  personal  appearance, 
with  a  superfluity  of  the  gifts  of  fortune,  yet  he  commiser- 
ated himself  for  nothing  at  all,  and  propounded  riddles  to 
himself  which  he  was  unable  to  answer.  But  all  such  mis- 
ery came  from  incessant  brooding  and  self-analysis,  which  is 
bound  to  make  even  the  most  complacent  person  dissatisfied 
with  his  advantages  in  the  long-run.  If  Maurice,  throwing 
aside  his  books,  art,  broodings,  and  everything  else,  had  gone 
in  for  fishing,  hunting,  dancing,  rowing,  as  he  did  in  his 
earlier  youth,  his  mind  would  soon  have  resumed  its  normal 
healthiness.  Unluckily,  the  ten  years'  life  in  Bohemia, 
where  he  had  no  money  nor  time  to  indulge  in  such  sports, 
had  weakened  his  interest  in  them,  and  he  by  no  means 
seemed  inclined  to  take  up  the  broken  thread  of  his  life. 
This  Avas  a  great  mistake,  as,  had  he  reverted  to  his  earlier 
mode  of  living,  he  would  in  a  short  time  have  come  to  look 
upon  that  weary  decade  as  but  a  bad  dream,  and  ultimately 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  37 

have  recovered  this  mens  sana  in  corpore  sano  condition, 
which  is  so  essential  to  the  happiness  of  one's  existence.  If 
there  is  a  person  to  be  envied,  'tis  a  healthy  man  with  an 
average  stock  of  brains,  for  he  does  not  live  with  shadows, 
he  has  no  torturing  dreams,  he  does  not  rack  his  soul  with 
thinking  out  the  problems  of  life;  but  simply  takes  the 
goods  the  gods  provide,  enjoys  them  to  the  full  measure  of 
his  capacity,  and  throws  all  disturbing  influences  to  the 
winds.  INIaurice  Eoylands  was  a  man  of  this  sort  in  many 
respects,  but  he  had  a  trifle  too  much  brain  power,  and  there- 
fore, in  accordance  with  the  great  law  of  compensation,  suf- 
fered from  the  excess,  by  using  it  to  torture  his  otherwise 
healthy  mind.  Unfortunately,  he  did  not  reason  in  this  way, 
but,  feeling  that  he  was  miserable,  hastily  decided  that  such 
misery  was  incurable.  Not  a  wise  way  of  looking  at  the 
matter  certainly,  but  then  Maurice,  though  no  fool  in  many 
ways,  was  not  a  Solomon  for  wisdom ;  and  besides,  Melan- 
cholia, who  places  all  things  in  a  dull  light,  had  him  in  her 
grip,  which  prevented  him  from  giving  his  diseased  mind 
the  medicine  it  required. 

However,  in  accordance  with  his  old  tutor's  instructions, 
he  sat  there  in  silence,  drinking  in  the  odors  of  the  flow- 
ers, and  listening  to  the  music  of  the  lark.  Kot  only  that, 
but  a  thrush  in  the  tree  above  him  began  to  pour  forth  his 
mellow  notes ;  and  though  it  was  nigh  mid-June,  he  heard 
the  quaint  call  of  the  cuckoo  sound  in  the  distance.  Nature 
and  Nature's  voices  exercised  their  benign  influence  on  his 
restless  spirit,  and  even  in  that  short  space  of  time  soothed 
him  so  much  that,  when  Mr.  Carriston  returned,  he  missed 
the  frowning  face  with  which  Maurice  had  greeted  him. 

"  Ah,"  said  the  Kector,  with  a  nod  of  satisfaction,  '-  you 
have  benefited  by  the  music  of  the  birds  already.  I  would 
undertake  to  cure  you,  if  you  would  only  let  me  be  your 
physician.  Now  your  soul  is  more  at  rest,  but  I  have  no 
doubt  your  nerves  need  soothing,  so  try  this  churchwarden 
and  this  excellent  tobacco." 

Maurice  burst  out  laughing  at  this  odd  cure  for  melan- 
choly, but  did  not  refuse  the  Eector's  hospitality;  and 
any  one  who  entered  the  garden  a  few  minutes  afterwards, 
would  have  discovered  the  venerable  Kector  and  the  youth- 
ful Squire  puffing  gravely  at  long  clays,  like  two  cronies  in 
a  village  taproom. 

They  chatted  in  a  desultory  manner  of  little  things,  such 
as  Mrs.  Dengelton,  —  who  would  have  been  very  angry  to 


38  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

find  herself  placed  in  such  a  category,  —  Eunice,  love-mak- 
ing, Crispin,  the  home  farm,  and  such  like  trifles,  when,  after 
a  short  pause,  Maurice  abruptly  turned  to  the  Rector,  who, 
lying  back  in  luxurious  ease,  was  watching  the  trembling  of 
the  leaves  above  his  head. 

"  And  the  story.  Rector  ?  " 

This  question  brought  Mr.  Carriston  from  heaven  to  earth, 
and  he  looked  at  the  young  man  with  a  grave  smile  on  his 
face. 

"  Ah,  the  story,"  he  repeated,  laying  aside  his  pipe.  "  Yes, 
I  promised  to  tell  you  the  one  romance  of  my  life.  I  am 
afraid  it  is  a  very  prosaic  romance,  still  it  may  show  you 
how  a  man  can  find  life  endurable  even  after  his  heart  is 
broken." 

"  Why,  Rector,  is  your  heart  broken  ?  " 

"  I  thought  it  was  once,  but  I'm  afraid  'twas  mended  long 
ago.  Et  ego  in  Arcadia  fui,  Maurice,  although  you  would 
never  think  so  to  look  at  me.  Tush  !  what  has  an  old  man 
pottering  about  among  his  flowers  in  common  with  Cupid, 
god  of  love  ?  Yet  I,  too,  have  sported  with  Amaryllis  in 
the  shade,  and  piped  love-songs  to  the  careless  ear  of 
Neaera." 

He  sighed  a  trifle  sadly,  very  probably  somewhat  regret- 
ful of  that  dead  and  gone  romance  which  still  looked  bright 
through  the  mists  of  forty  years,  and  glanced  sorrowfully  at 
the  wrinkled  hands  which  had  once  played  with  the  golden 
tresses  of  Chloe.  Ah,  Chloe  was  old  now,  and  her  famous 
golden  locks  were  white  with  the  snows  of  many  winters  ; 
or  perchance  she  was  dead,  with  the  gentle  winds  blowing 
across  her  daisied  grave,  and  piping  songs  as  beautiful  as 
those  of  her  faithful  shepherd.  Is  it  not  a  painful  thing  to 
be  old  and  gray  and  full  of  sad  memories  of  our  fine  days  ? 
yet,  mingled  with  such  melancholies,  we  recall  many  bright 
dreams  which  then  haunted  our  youthful  brains.  Alas, 
Arcady  !  why  are  we  not  permitted  to  dwell  forever  in  thy 
flowery  meadows,  beneath  thy  blue  sky,  instead  of  being 
driven  forth  by  the  whip  of  Fate  to  crowded  cities  and 
desolate  wastes,  wherein  sound  no  gleeful  melodies. 

"  It  was  at  Oxford  that  I  first  met  her,"  said  the  Rector  in 
his  mellow  voice,  which  was  touched  with  vague  regret ; 
''  for  she,  too,  dwelt  in  that  grave  scholastic  city.  I  was  not 
in  holy  orders  then  !  No  ;  my  ambition  was  to  be  a  soldier, 
and  win  the  V.C.  ;  but,  alas  !  such  dreams  came  to  naught. 
You  may  not  believe  it,  Maurice,  but  I  was  wild  and  light- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  39 

hearted  in  those  days  —  to  be  sure,  it  was  Consula  Planco, 
and  youth  is  ever  foolish.  Her  name  was  Miriam,  and  she 
was  a  dressmaker.  Ah,  you  are  astonished  that  I,  Stephen 
Carriston,  fixed  my  eyes  on  such  a  lowly  damsel ;  but  then, 
you  see,  I  loved  her  dearly,  and  that,  I  think,  is  a  sufficient 
answer  to  your  unspoken  objection.  Love  knows  nothing  of 
rank  or  position,  and  sees  beauty  in  the  wayside  daisy  as 
well  as  in  the  costly  hothouse  plant.  I  need  not  tell  you 
she  was  very  beautiful,  for  that  is  the  common  saying  of 
lovers,  who  see  no  loveliness  save  in  the  nymph  of  their 
affections.  What  is  it  the  poet  says  about  a  lover  seeing 
Helen's  beauty  in  the  brow  of  Egypt?  Sure,  my  memory 
is  weak  with  age,  and  I  misquote.  Still,  the  saying  is  true. 
Miriam  was  very  beautiful,  and  I  think  must  have  had  some 
Jewish  blood  in  her  veins,  for  her  dark,  imperial  beauty  was 
that  of  the  East.  Her  hair  was  as  dark  as  the  wing  of  a 
raven,  her  eyes  liquid  wells  of  light,  and  her  mouth  was  as 
the  thread  of  scarlet  spoken  of  in  the  song  of  the  wise  king. 
You  see,  Maurice,  old  as  I  am,  I  can  still  rhapsodize  on 
Chloe's  perfections,  though  she  basely  deceived  me.  Alas, 
Strephon !  how  the  years  have  destroyed  thy  goddess  !  — 
nay,  she  destroyed  herself  by  her  own  act." 
"  I  did  not  know  you  were  a  poet.  Rector." 
Mr.  Carriston,  whose  brow  was  dark  with  bitter  memories, 
aroused  himself  with  a  forced  laugh,  and  strove  to  speak 
lightly  of  the  past. 

"Live  and  learn,  Maurice.  I  no  poet?  Why,  my  dear 
lad,  I  am  even  now  courting  the  Nine,  and  turning  Aris- 
tophanes into  good  English  verse.  No  poet  ?  Why,  every 
man  is  a  poet  when  in  love  ;  and  if  he  does  not  write  a  poem, 
he  at  least  lives  a  poem.  I,  alas,  have  been  in  love  these 
many  years  with  a  shadow  — the  shadow  of  Miriam  before 
she  left  me  !  " 
'•  Left  you  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  call  it  my  romance,  but  it  is  a  painful  story.  A 
deceitful  woman,  a  wronged  man,  a  treacherous  friend  —  a 
common  enough  tale,  I  think.  Though,  indeed,  I  need  not 
include  '  friend,'  for  to  this  day  I  know  not  for  whom  she 
left  me." 

"  She  was  your  wife  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Wild  as  I  was  in  those  days,  I  was  too  honorable 
to  deceive  a  woman.  In  spite  of  the  difference  of  our  posi- 
tion, I  married  her,  and  we  were  happy  together  for  ten 
years." 


40  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Ten  years  ! "  replied  Maurice  in  surprise.  "  Surely  she 
did  not  leave  you  after  all  that  time  of  married  happiness." 

"Who  knows  the  ways  of  women?"  said  the  Rector  bit- 
terly. "  Yes,  she  left  me  —  took  from  me  all  I  loved  in  the 
world,  herself  and  her  child." 

"  Was  there  a  child  ?  " 

"Yes.  He  was  born  in  the  tenth  year  of  our  marriage, 
just  when  I  had  given  up  all  hope  of  being  a  father.  If  he 
is  still  alive,  Maurice,  he  will  be  just  five  years  younger  than 
you,  —  thirty  years  old,  —  and  for  that  I  love  you,  my  dear 
lad ;  you  stand  to  me  in  the  place  of  the  son  I  have  lost." 

"  Did  you  not  suspect  any  one  of  taking  her  away  ?  " 

"Yes;  one  man,"  answered  the  Rector  gloomily.  "He 
was  a  tall,  black-bearded  fellow,  who  had  just  come  back 
from  the  East;  but  I  only  saw  him  once.  I  was  a  hard- 
worked  London  curate  in  those  days,  and  had  but  little  time 
to  spare.  My  wife  met  him  —  I  think  his  name  was  Captain 
Malcolm  —  at  the  house  of  a  mutual  friend;  but  perhaps  I 
am  wrong,  and  it  was  not  he  who  destroyed  my  happiness. 
She  had  so  many  friends.  I  can  hardly  wonder  at  that,  for 
she  was  then  in  the  full  pride  of  her  womanly  beauty.  There 
was  a  Frenchman,  the  Count  de  la  Tour,  I  also  suspected, 
but  I  was  sure  of  no  one.  I  suppose  she  grew  tired  of  our 
poor  life ;  for,  in  spite  of  the  way  in  which  she  went  into  so- 
ciety, we  were  poor  —  that  is,  comfortable  for  a  quiet  life, 
but  too  poor  for  a  social  one.  I,  never  suspecting  any  evil, 
was  only  too  glad  that  she  should  go  out  and  enjoy  herself, 
although  at  times  I  remonstrated  with  her,  saying  that  such 
gayety  was  not  suited  for  the  wife  of  a  poor  clergyman.  She 
said  she  would  give  up  such  frivolities  shortly,  and  I,  like  a 
fool,  believed  her.  Then  I  was  called  down  to  see  my  father, 
who  was  very  ill.  At  length  he  died,  and  I  remained  to  at- 
tend to  the  funeral ;  but  when  I  came  back  to  London  after 
a  three  weeks'  absence,  I  found  she  had  gone  with  the  child. 
She  left  no  letter  behind  her  to  palliate  her  guilt ;  all  I  knew 
was  that  she  had  gone  with  some  gentleman  who  had  called 
for  her  in  a  brougham.  The  servants  could  not  describe  the 
man,  as  he  did  not  enter  the  house,  but  remained  in  the  car- 
riage. My  false  wife  told  the  servants  she  was  called  away 
by  me,  as  her  father-in-law  was  dying;  and  it  was  only  when 
I  returned  that  they  learned  the  truth." 

"Did  you  ever  see  this  Captain  Malcolm  again  ?  " 

"  No,  nor  the  Count  de  la  Tour ;  so  that  is  why  I  suspect 
one  of  those  men  as  being  the  ruin  of  my  life.     Besides,  I 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  41 

heard  afterwards  that  she  went  a  great  deal  about  with 
them,  sometimes  with  one,  soinetimes  with  the  other.  One 
of  them  I  am  sure  it  was,  but  I  know  not  which.  So  you 
see,  at  one  blow,  Maurice,  I  was  bereft  of  wife,  child,  home, 
and  happiness.  Afterwards  I  was  offered  this  living,  and, 
wishing  to  leave  the  scene  of  my  former  happiness,  my 
former  sorrow,  my  former  disgrace,  I  accei3ted  it,  and  came 
down  here,  where  I  have  lived  in  peace  for  thirty  years." 

"Did  you  get  a  divorce  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  for  the  sake  of  my  guilty  wife.  I  did  not  wish  to 
marry  again  myself,  but  I  desired  to  leave  her  free,  so  that 
she  might  marry  the  partner  of  her  guilt.  I  hope  he  behaved 
honorably  to  her  and  did  so ;  but,  alas !  I  know  not." 

"  And  the  boy  ?  " 

"  I  have  never  heard  of  him  since.  I  was  left  rich  by  the 
death  of  my  father,  and  all  that  money  could  do  was  done, 
but  I  heard  nothing  of  either  wife  or  child.  Is  it  not  a  sad 
story,  Maurice  ?  " 

"  Yes,  very  sad  !     You  must  have  suffered  terribly." 

"I  did  suffer  terribly;  but  I  tell  you  this,  dear  lad,  to 
show  you  how  a  man  can  force  himself  to  be  cheerful,  even 
when  he  thinks  life  has  no  further  joys  for  him.  Look  at 
me !  When  my  wife  left  me,  I  thought  that  the  sun  of  my 
life  had  set  forever.  I  looked  forward  to  jenrs  of  misery ; 
and  probably  my  existence  would  have  been  miserable,  had 
I  not,  with  the  aid  of  God,  resisted  the  evil  one.  I  did  resist 
him,  by  accustoming  myself  to  take  an  interest  in  all  things; 
and,  by  schooling  myself  into  patience,  I  found  life,  if  not 
blissful,  at  least  endurable.  I  now  love  my  work  among  my 
parishioners,  I  enjoy  my  Greek  studies,  I  interest  myself  in 
my  garden,  and  am  thus  able  to  live  a  comparatively  happy 
life.  Had  I  given  way  weakly  to  my  misery,  I  would  have 
been  an  unhappy  man  all  my  life,  and  have  done  no  good  in 
my  generation  ;  but  I  fought  against  the  evil  spirit,  with  the 
aid  of  God  I  conquered  him,  and  now  can  look  back  with 
thankfulness  to  the  calamity  which  tried  and  chastened  my 
soul." 

"And  you  are  happy  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Rector  firmly.  "  I  am  as  happy  as  any 
mortal  can  hope  to  be.  'Man  is  born  to  trouble  as  the 
sparks  fly  upward,'  says  Job ;  but  if  we  did  not  fight  against 
these  troubles  they  would  overwhelm  us.  So,  my  dear  lad, 
do  as  I  have  done,  fight  against  the  evil  spirit,  and,  with 
God's  grace,  you  will  be  victorious." 


42  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  advice,  sir,  and  I  will  try  and  fol- 
low it." 

"My  story  is  but  a  dull  one,  I  am  afraid,"  resumed  the 
Rector,  after  a  pause,  —  "  dull  and  prosaic,  with  no  romance 
to  render  it  captivating ;  but  I  only  told  it  to  show  to  you 
what  a  man  can  do  if  he  fights  against  his  troubles,  and  does 
not  yield  weakly  at  the  first  attack  of  the  enemy.  You  have 
no  unhappy  love,  you  have  no  regrets ;  therefore,  my  dear 
lad,  show  yourself  to  be  a  man,  and  do  not  thus  weakly  yield 
to  a  phantom  of  your  own  creation.  Try  to  be  interested  in 
life,  fall  in  love  and  marry  if  you  can,  and  I  promise  you  all 
will  yet  be  well  with  you.  Your  troubles  are  but  dreams  of 
a  disordered  brain,  which  can  be  banished  by  an  effort  of 
will ;  so  rouse  yourself,  JMaurice,  conquer  your  weak  spirit, 
and  with  God's  help  you  will  be  a  happy  man." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Maurice,  grasping  the  Kector's 
hand;  "I  will  do  what  you  say.  I  have  been  weak,  but  I 
will  be  so  no  longer.  I  will  take  up  the  duties  of  life,  and 
do  my  best  to  perform  them  well.  Your  sermon,  your  story, 
has  done  me  good,  Mr.  Carriston  ;  and  I  feel  that  I  would  be 
indeed  a  coward  to  flinch  from  the  fray  in  which  you  have 
so  bravely  fought  and  conquered." 

"  Good  lad  !  good  lad  !  "  replied  the  delighted  Eector.  "  I 
knew  you  would  see  things  in  their  right  light.  But  come, 
the  lesson  is  over,  and  now  is  the  time  for  play.  You  must 
look  round  at  my  roses,  and  the  finest  bud  of  the  garden  will 
adorn  your  buttonhole  as  '  a  reward  for  your  determination.'  " 

Maurice  gladly  fell  in  with  the  Rector's  humor,  and 
together  they  strolled  round  the  garden  to  examine  and 
admire  his  floral  treasures.  Carriston  was  like  a  child  in  his 
garden,  and  his  bursts  of  delight  at  this  or  that  particular 
rose  tree  would  have  made  many  a  person  smile.  But 
Maurice  did  not  smile ;  he  loved  his  old  tutor  too  well  to 
smile  at  his  simple  pleasures,  and  took  scarcely  less  interest 
than  the  Rector  himself  in  the  momentous  question  of  trans- 
ferring this  tree  over  there,  or  ingrafting  a  hardy  shoot  in 
this  sickly-looking  plant.  Suddenly  the  Rector  stopped,  and 
began  to  rummage  in  the  pockets  of  his  long  black  coat. 

"  Dear  dear  ! "  he  said  in  a  vexed  tone  ;  "  it  is  not  liere,  and 
yet  I  am  sure  I  placed  it  in  this  pocket." 

"  Placed  what,  sir  ?  " 

"  A  letter  !  a  letter  !  No,  I  can't  find  it.  Maurice,  I  wish 
you  to  stay  to  luncheon.     I  have  a  friend  coming.'^ 

"  Indeed  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  43 

"  Well,  not  exactly  a  friend ;  but,  the  fact  is,  a  young  man 
has  arrived  in  the  village  with  a  letter  of  introduction  to  me 
from  a  mutual  friend  in  London.  He  is  at  present  staying 
at  the  Royland  Arms,  and  sent  his  letter  this  morning,  so  I 
wrote  back  and  asked  him  to  come  to  luncheon.  You  must 
stay  and  meet  him,  Maurice,  for  I  hear  he  is  a  most  delight- 
ful man." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  remember.     He  is  a  Greek.     The  letter  must 

be  in  my  study,  so  we  will  go  and  look  for  it.     This  young 

Greek  is  a  great  traveller,  and  is  now  on  a  visit  to  England. 

He    had    a   letter  of   introduction  to   my  friend,  the  Arch- 

■  deacon  of  Eastminster,  who  gave  him  one  to  me." 

"  But  what  does  he  come  to  this  out-of-the-way  place  for  ?  " 
asked  Maurice,  with  that  inherent  suspicion  he  had  acquired 
in  Bohemia. 

"  I  don't  know.  I  expect  he  will  answer  that  question  for 
himself  at  luncheon.  Ah,  here  is  the  letter  —  I  left  it  on  the 
table." 

"  Well,  what  is  his  name  ?  "  asked  Maurice  again. 

The  rector  adjusted  his  pmce-Jiez,  and,  smoothing  open  the 
letter,  read  the  name  aloud :  — 

"  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A   MASTERPIECE    OF    NATURE. 

The  pride  of  the  human 

Does  nature  diminish, 
"With  spiteful  acumen, 

She  roughly  will  finish 
A  man  or  a  woman, 

He  stout  and  she  thinnish, 
Till  one  is  not  fair,  nor  the  other  a  true  man. 

But  Nature's  conception 

May  not  be  pernicious, 
For  know  her  perception 

At  times  is  capricious; 
Her  work  bears  inspection. 

In  manner  judicious. 
For  sometimes  she  turns  out  a  man  near  perfection. 

The  above  jingle  of  verses  may  sound  somewhat  abstruse, 
but  he  who  has  the  patience  to  search  until  he  discovers  the 
kernel  of  this  rhyming  nut,  will  certainly  find  it  to  be  a 


44  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

truism.  Nature  does  finish  the  mass  of  humanity  in  a  some- 
what rough  and  ready  fashion ;  true,  she  may  equip  them 
with  all  the  necessary  limbs  and  organs  necessary  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  life,  but  she  does  not  trouble  herself  to  put  in  those 
delicate  touches  which  go  to  the  making  of  a  perfectly  hand- 
some man,  or  a  faultlessly  beautiful  woman.  At  times,  how- 
ever, just  to  show  what  she  can  do  in  the  way  of  creative 
beauty,  she  gives  her  whole  mind  to  the  task,  and  lo  !  Achilles, 
and  Helen  of  Troy.  But  such  perfect  specimens  of  human- 
ity are  few  and  far  between ;  therefore  when  JMaurice,  who 
had  an  artistic  eye,  met  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas  for 
the  first  time,  he  recognized  with  delight  that  he  saw  before 
him  one  of  Nature's  masterpieces. 

There  is  nothing  more  detestable  than  that  society  horror, 
^'  a  beauty  man,"  who  resembles  a  wax  figure  in  his  unnatural 
perfectibility  of  face  and  form.  Flawless  he  may  be  in 
every  part,  but  the  ensemble  is  nevertheless  unpleasing  both 
to  eye  and  mind,  for,  in  aiding  Nature  to  show  herself  at  her 
best,  he  soon  becomes  a  mere  artificial  figure,  which  ought  to 
be  placed  in  a  glass  case  for  the  edification  of  school  misses 
and  gushing  society  ladies.  This  man,  however,  did  not 
belong  to  that  over-civilized  class,  as  at  a  glance  one  could 
see  he  was  a  child  of  Nature,  a  nursling  of  the  winds  and 
waves,  whose  physical  perfections  were  kept  in  their  pris- 
tine beauty  by  the  constant  care  of  the  great  mother  herself. 
Caliphronas  had  all  the  grace  and  untamed  beauty  of  a  wild 
animal,  looking  as  if  he  claimed  kinship  with  the  salt  sea, 
the  fresh  woods,  the  strong  sunlight,  and  the  bracing  air  of 
snow-clad  mountain-tops.  His  physical  beauty  was  truly 
wonderful,  and  was  as  much  the  outcome  of  perfect  health, 
as  of  perfect  creation.  He  lacked  that  self-restrained  air 
which  is  stamped  on  the  face  of  every  civilized  man,  and  in 
the  modest  little  dining-room  of  the  Rectory  looked  like  some 
graceful  panther  caged  against  its  will.  Nature's  child  was 
only  in  his  right  place  with  Nature  herself,  and  in  our  dull 
respectable  England  he  seemed  an  exile  from  the  healthful 
solitudes  which  had  given  him  birth. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  describe  Caliphronas,"  said  Maurice 
many  years  afterwards,  in  speaking  of  this  man.  "  I  can  tell 
you  that  his  figure  was  as  perfect  as  the  Apollo  Belvedere, 
and  say  that  his  face  was  as  flawless  in  its  virile  beauty  as 
the  Antinous  of  the  Vatican,  but  this  will  give  you  no  idea 
of  his  physical  perfection.  His  body  seemed  to  be  instinct 
with  the  lawless  fierceness  of  wind  and  wave;  he  moved 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  45 

with  the  stately  grace  of  a  nude  savage  unaccustomed  to 
the  restraint  of  clothing.  I  never  understood  the  phrase 
'  child  of  Nature '  until  I  saw  Caliphronas,  and  it  is  the  only 
way  in  which  he  can  be  explained.  I  believe  his  mother 
was  a  Nereid  and  his  father  a  hunter,  for  he  was  the  off- 
spring of  earth  and  ocean  — the  consummate  flower  of  both. 
Yet  I  do  not  think  he  had  what  we  call  brains  —  true,  he 
possessed  the  cunning  and  instinct  of  a  wild  animal,  but  that 
was  all.  I  think,  myself,  brains  and  culture  would  have 
spoiled  him ;  he  was  born  to  be  a  wild,  free  thing,  happy 
only  on  the  hills,  a  type,  a  visible  incarnation  of  Nature  in  a 
male  form.  If  you  ask  me  whom  he  resembled  in  real  life, 
I  cannot  tell  you,  as  I  never  saw  any  one  in  the  least  like 
him.  But  in  fiction  —  well,  study  the  character  of  Margrave 
m  'A  Strange  Story,'  and  Donatello  in  Hawthorne's  'Mar- 
ble Faun,'  and  by  blending  the  two  you  may  arrive  at  some 
conception  of  Count  Caliphronas." 

Such  was  the  man  who  now  sat  at  the  table  of  the  Eector, 
chatting  gayly  with  his  host  and  Maurice  Eoylands.  Being 
a  hot  day,  the  Rector  had  wisely  provided  a  cold  luncheon, 
and  himself  presided  over  a  noble  piece  of  beef,  which  looked 
as  though  it  had  been  taken  from  one  of  Apollo's  oxen. 
There  was  also  a  capital  salad,— the  Rector  was  famous 
for  his  salads,  —  fruit,  wine,  cheese,  and  bread.  A  simple 
repast,  truly,  but  then  the  Rector  was  simple  in  his  tastes, 
and  detested  those  highly-spiced  dishes,  which  but  create 
thirst,  and  whose  chief  merit  seems  to  be  that  the  diner 
cannot  tell  of  what  they  are  composed.  An  artificial  life 
creates  artificial  tastes,  and  the  principal  mission  of  cookery 
now  seems  to  lie  in  the  direction  of  tickling  the  palate,  not 
of  satisfying  the  stomach,  with  the  result  that  gout  and 
dyspepsia  have  it  all  their  own  way.  If  half,  nay,  if  the 
whole  of  the  French  cooks  now  engaged  in  ruining  the 
healths  of  Englishmen  and  Englishwomen  were  bundled 
back  to  their  beloved  Paris,  the  income  of  every  doctor  in 
London  would  decrease  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning.  As 
before  mentioned,  the  Rector  liked  the  good  things  of  this 
life,  but  he  thought  the  simplest  food  the  most  enjoyable, 
m  which  he  was  right,  though  epicures  may  doubt  the  truth 
of  such  an  opinion.  Yet,  after  all,  do  not  epicures  hold  the 
simplicity  of  a  well-roasted  leg  of  mutton  to  be  a  dish  fit  for 
a  king. 

If  the  Rector  was  simple  in  his  eating,  however,  Count 
Constantine  was  still  simpler,  for  he  hardly  touched   his 


46  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

meat,  and  confined  his  attention  to  bread,  cheese,  salad,  and 
wine  —  the  latter  being  some  excellent  claret,  on  which  the 
Rector  prided  himself. 

"My  dear  sir,"  he  said  in  agony,  as  he  saw  Caliphronas 
about  to  mingle  water  with  his  wine,  "you  will  spoil  the 
flavor  of  the  claret." 

"Pardon  me,  sir,"  replied  the  Count,  who  spoke  English 
admirably,  "  but  we  Greeks  are  partial  to  such  mingling. 
We  worship  the  Naiad  with  her  urn  as  well  as  Bacchus  with 
his  flask,  and  the  union  of  both  produces  a  drink  fit  for 
Father  Zeus." 

"  You  don't  seem  to  care  much  for  meat,"  said  the  Rector, 
relinquishing  the  point  about  the  wine,  though  it  went  to 
his  soul  to  see  such  a  spoiling  of  the  finest  qualities  of  his 
claret. 

"No,"  answered  Caliphronas  carelessly;  "oddly  enough,  I 
do  not  care  much  for  flesh.  I  live  so  much  in  the  open  air 
that,  like  Nature,  I  live  on  the  simplest  things.  Bread, 
cheese,  and  wine  I  love ;  add  honey,  and  I  want  nothing 
better  to  satisfy  my  appetite.  Country  fare  for  a  country 
man,  you  know." 

"You  are  a  shepherd  of  Theocritus,"  said  Maurice,  with  a 
smile. 

"  No ;  save  in  such  tastes  perhaps ;  otherwise  I  am  no 
Sicilian  of  the  Idylles." 

"You  speak  English  wonderfully  well.  Count,"  remarked 
the  Rector  politely. 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  sir ;  yet  it  is  the  first 
time  I  have  been  in  England." 

"  What !  do  they  teach  English  in  the  schools  of  Athens  ?  " 

"  Alas,  no.  The  schools  of  modern  Athens  are  not  those 
of  the  old  Greek  days.  Socrates,  Plato,  Pythagoras,  have 
gone  to  the  blessed  isles  in  company  with  the  heroes  of 
Salamis,  and  our  Greek  culture  of  to-day  is  primitive  in  the 
extreme.  No;  I  learned  Greek  from  a  roving  Englishman 
—  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman  who  grew  weary  of  this  respect- 
able England  of  yours,  and  came  back  to  the  freer  life  of 
the  Greek  islands." 

"He  taught  you  admirably,"  said  Roy  lands,  wondering 
why  the  Greek  eyed  him  so  keenly  while  making  this  speech. 
"  Do  you  come  from  Athens  ?  " 

"I  have  been  there,"  answered  Caliphronas,  pushing  away 
his  plate,  "  but  I  am  an  islander.  Yes,  I  was  born  in  Ithaca, 
therefore  am  I  a  countryman  of  Ulysses." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  47 

"Achilles,  perhaps,"  observed  the  Rector,  fascinated  by 
the  clear-cut  features  of  the  young  man,  —  "  the  godlike 
Achilles." 

"  Ah  no,"  replied  the  Greek,  with  a  shade  of  melancholy 
in  his  tone  ;  "  I  am  like  no  hero  of  those  times.  Our  ances- 
tors have  transmitted  to  us  their  physical  forms,  but  not 
their  brains,  not  their  heroism." 

"Come  now,"  remonstrated  Maurice.  "I  am  sure  your 
countrymen  behaved  bravely  in  the  War  of  Independence." 

"  Yes,  I  agree  with  you  there.  Canaris,  Mavrocordato, 
Botzaris,  were  all  brave  men.  I  accept  the  rebuke,  for  I  have 
no  right  to  run  down  my  own  countrymen.  Perhaps  in  Eng- 
land I  may  learn  the  meaning  of  the  word  patriotism." 

"  Or  Jingoism." 

"  Your  pardon  ?  "  queried  the  Count,  a  trifled  puzzled. 

"Jingoism,"  explained  Maurice  gravely,  "is  a  spurious 
patriotism,  composed  of  music-hall  songs,  the  Union  Jack, 
and  gallons  of  beer —  it  begins  with  a  chorus  and  ends  with 
a  riot.  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry  are  very  fond  of  it,  as  it  ex- 
pands their  lungs  and  quenches  their  thirst.  But  there,  I  am 
only  jesting.     Do  you  stay  long  in  England  ?  " 

Again  the  Greek  eyed  Maurice  keenly,  and  hesitated  a 
moment  before  replying. 

"I  can  hardly  tell  yet,"  he  said,  with  emphasis.  "Mr. 
Carriston,  will  you  show  me  your  garden  ?  "  he  added,  turn- 
ing to  the  Rector. 

"I  will  be  delighted,"  said  Carriston  eagerly;  "we  will 
stroll  round  it.     Do  you  smoke  ?  " 

"  No,  thank  you,"  returned  the  count,  waving  away  with  a 
gesture  of  repugnance  the  cigarette  Maurice  held  out  to 
him.     "I  never  smoke." 

"  That  is  strange." 

Caliphronas  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Perhaps  so,  sir.     For  myself,  I  do  not  care  about  it." 

"  Curious  creature,"  murmured  Maurice  reflectively,  as  he 
followed  the  Rector  and  his  guest  into  the  garden.  "  I 
wonder  why  he  looks  at  me  so  keenly,  and  what  he  is  doing 
down  here.  Humph  !  I  would  like  to  find  out  your  little 
game,  my  friend." 

Ten  years  of  fighting. with  the  world  had  turned  Maurice 
from  a  frank,  open-hearted  fellow  into  a  cold,  suspicious 
man,  and  he  always  doubted  the  motives  of  every  one. 
This  is  a  disagreeable  way  of  looking  at  things,  but  in  many 
cases  it  is  a  very  necessary  one,  owing  to  the  double  lives 


48  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

which  most  people  seem  nowadays  to  live.  Social  inter- 
course, whether  for  pleasure  or  business,  is  no  longer  as 
simple  as  it  used  to  be  in  the  old  days,  and  our  complex  civil- 
ization has  introduced  into  every  action  we  perform  that 
element  of  distrust  which  is  at  once  disagreeable  and  neces- 
sary. Maurice  knew  nothing  about  Caliphroiias,  and  had  he 
met  him  in  London  would  doubtless  have  accepted  him  for 
what  he  appeared  to  be  — a  foreign  nobleman  on  his  travels  ; 
but  for  this  man  to  visit  a  quiet  village  like  Roylands  was 
peculiar,  and  there  must  be  some  motive  for  his  doing  so. 

"  I'll  ask  him  how  he  likes  England,  and  lead  up  to  his 
unexpected  arrival  here,"  thought  Maurice,  as  he  walked 
along  smoking  his  cigarette.  "  He  seems  sharp,  but  I  think 
I'm  able  to  distinguish  between  the  real  and  the  false." 

Caliphronas  was  loud  in  his  expressions  of  admiration  for 
the  Kector's  roses,  and  his  delight  seemed  genuine  enough 
even  to  Maurice,  who  stood  listening  to  his  raptures  with  a 
grim  smile,  as  if  he  would  like  to  cast  over  this  bright  being 
the  shadow  of  his  own  melancholy  nature. 

"  I  have  a  perfect  passion  for  flowers,"  said  the  Count,  with 
a  gay  smile,  as  he  placed  a  red  bud  in  his  coat,  "  and  roses 
are  my  favorites.  Were  they  not  the  flowers  of  pleasure 
in  classical  times  ?  did  they  not  wreathe  the  brows  of  rev- 
ellers at  festivals  ?  — the  flowers  of  love  and  of  silence  !  " 

"I  am  pleased  you  like  flowers,"  observed  the  Rector, 
looking  at  the  joyous  figure  before  him,  which  was  bathed 
in  sunshine;  "'tis  an  innocent  pleasure." 

"I  love  all  that  is  of  Nature,"  cried  Caliphronas,  throwing 
himself  on  the  smooth  sward ;  "  Nature  is  my  mother  —  my 
true  mother.  Yes,  I  am  a  man  born  of  woman,  but  such 
maternity  does  not  appeal  to  me.  Nature  is  at  once  my 
mother,  my  nurse,  my  goddess." 

"  You  were  born  in  Ithaca,"  said  Maurice  quietly. 

"Was  I  born  at  all?"  replied  Caliphronas,  throwing  him- 
self back  with  a  joyous  laugh  and  letting  the  sun  blaze  on 
his  uncovered  head.  "  I  do  not  know  !  I  cannot  tell.  Per- 
chance some  nymph  bore  me  to  one  of  the  old  gods,  who 
Heine  says  yet  walk  the  earth  in  other  forms." 

"What  do  you  know  of  Heine  ?  "  asked  the  Rector  in  some 
surprise. 

"  Nothing  !  —  absolutely  nothing.  I  never  heard  his  name 
till  the  other  day,  when  some  one  told  me  a  story  of  the 
Gods  in  Exile,  and  said  one  Heine  had  written  it." 

"  Are  you  fond  of  reading  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  49 

"I  never  read.  I  care  not  for  books  —  all  my  knowledge 
comes  from  the  mouth  of  my  fellow-men  and  from  Nature. 
Such  culture  is  enough  for  me." 

"You  will  get  a  sunstroke  if  you  don't  cover  your  head," 
said  Maurice,  somewhat  tired  of  this  pseudo-classicism. 

"  No  !  I  am  a  friend  of  Apollo's.  He  will  hurl  no  darts  at 
me,  and  your  pale  sun  in  England  is  but  a  shadow  of  the 
glorious  Helios  of  our  Greek  skies." 

And,  lying  on  his  back,  he  began  to  sing  a  strange,  wan- 
dering melody,  of  which  the  words  (roughly  translated)  were 
as  follows :  — 

"  The  sun  is  my  father  : 
He  kissed  my  mother  the  sea, 
And  of  their  wooing  the  fruit  am  I." 

Both  the  Englishmen  were  strangely  fascinated  bythis 
stranger.  He  conducted  himself  in  quite  an  unconventional 
fashion,  and  seemed  to  follow  the  last  thought  that  suggested 
itself  to  his  capricious  brain. 

"  Come  ! "  he  cried,  springing  to  his  feet  with  a  bound  like 
a  deer.  "Come,  Mr.  Maurice  —  are  you  a  runner?  I  will 
race  you  round  this  garden." 

"  Really,  Count,"  said  the  Rector,  somewhat  startled. 

"Eh!  Am  I  wrong,  sir?"  replied  Caliphronas  apologeti- 
cally. "I  ask  your  pardon!  I  do  not  know  your  English 
ways ;  you  must  teach  me.  I  act  as  I  feel.  Is  it  wrong  to 
do  so  ?  " 

"  Well,  we  English  like  to  see  a  little  more  self-restraint," 
said  Maurice,  looking  at  the  graceful  figure  of  the  young 
man.     "  By  the  way,  are  you  going  to  stay  here  long  ?  " 

The  smile  faded  from  the  bright  face  of  the  Count,  and  he 
turned  half  away  with  an  abrupt  movement. 

"  Who  can  tell  ?  "  he  said  lightly.  "I  am  a  bird  of  pas- 
sage. I  alight  here  and  there,  but  fly  when  I  am  weary  of 
the  bough.  You  wonder  at  my  coming  down  here,  do  you 
not,  Mr.  ]\Iaurice  ?  " 

Thus  addressed  directly,  Roylands  was  rather  taken  aback, 
and  reddened  perceptibly  through  the  tan  of  his  skin. 

"Well,  for  a  gay  young  man  like  you,  Count,  I  thought 
London  would  have  pleased  you  better." 

Caliphronas  burst  out  laughing,  and,  putting  his  hands 
behind  his  head,  leant  back  against  the  trunk  of  tlie  elm. 

"  Do  you  hear  your  friend,  sir  ?  "  he  said  to  the  Rector. 
"He  thinks  that  I  prefer  that  dull,  smoky  town  to  the  coun- 


60  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

try.  Why,  Athens  is  too  narrow  for  me  !  I  love  the  open 
lands,  the  plains,  the  mountains,  the  seas.  Up  in  that  city 
of  yours  I  was  weary,  and  I  spoke  to  the  priest  of  my  friend. 
'  Oh,'  I  cried,  '  I  will  die  of  want  of  air  in  this  place.  Take 
me  to  the  woods,  where  I  can  breathe  and  see  the  sun.'  So 
he  gave  me  that  letter  to  you,"  addressing  the  Rector,  '^and 
I  came  here  at  once." 

So  this  was  the  explanation  of  his  presence  in  the  little 
village  —  a  very  natural  one  surely,  and  Maurice  felt  some- 
what ashamed  of  his  late  suspicions ;  but  a  new  thought  had 
entered  his  head,  suggested  by  the  statuesque  pose  of  the 
Greek  leaning  against  the  tree,  and  he  came  forward  eagerly. 

"  Count  Caliphronas,"  he  said  quickly,  "  I  am  a  sculptor, 
and  I  have  the  idea  for  a  statue  of  Endymion  —  would  you 
—  would  you  "  — 

"Ah,  you  want  me  to  be  a  model,  sir?"  said  the  Count, 
laughing.  "  Eh,  well,  I  do  not  mind  in  the  least  —  you  may 
command  me." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,  if  I "  — 

"  If  you  could  only  introduce  me  to  a  Diana,  that  would 
indeed  be  perfect." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  a  kind  of  general  lover.  Count,"  said 
the  rector,  turning  round  from  a  rose-tree  with  a  smile. 

"  I  am  not  as  bad  as  that,  sir.  No  !  I  love  !  I  love  !  "  He 
stopped  abruptly,  and  a  shade  came  over  his  face.  "  Yes,  I 
love,"  he  resumed  quickly ;  "  but  my  love  is  unfortunate." 

"  What !  is  any  woman  cold-hearted  enough  to  refuse 
you  ?  "  observed  Maurice,  looking  at  him  in  amazement ;  for 
indeed  a  woman  would  be  hard  to  please  were  she  not  satis- 
fied with  this  splendid-looking  youth. 

''There  are  women  and  women,"  said  Caliphronas  enig- 
matically.    "  This  one  does  not  love  me  yet,  but  she  will." 

''  When  ?  " 

The  Greek  shot  a  keen  glance  at  Maurice,  and  then  ob- 
served, in  an  indifferent  voice,  — 

"  When  I  do  what  I  am  requested  to  do." 

Both  men  looked  steadily  at  one  another,  and  it  seemed  to 
Maurice  as  though  there  were  a  certain  amount  of  menace 
visible  on  the  face  of  Caliphronas,  but  such  look  speedily 
passed  away,  and  he  bounded  lightly  across  the  turf  to  where 
the  cat  was  sitting. 

To  the  surprise  of  both  the  Rector  and  Maurice,  she  let 
this  stranger  take  her  up  in  his  arms  and  smooth  her  fur. 

"  Dear,  dear ! "  said  the  Rector  in  an  astonished  tone  j 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  W 

"what  power  do  you  possess  over  the  animal  world,  Count? 
Tliat  cat  will  not  let  any  one  touch  her  as  a  rule." 

"  Oh,  all  animals  take  to  me,"  replied  Caliphronas  lightly, 
letting  the  cat  down  gently  on  the  ground.  "  I  can  do  any- 
thing with  horses  and  dogs." 

''  Donatello  !  "  whispered  Maurice  to  himself.  "  He  looks 
innocent  enough,  and  yet  that  look  —  I  must  speak  to  Crispin, 
and  ask  his  opinion  of  this  man." 

Meanwhile  the  Count  was  giving  Carriston  a  description 
of  his  miseries  at  the  Royland  Arms. 

"  Such  a  small  room  to  sleep  in,"  he  said  in  a  disgusted 
tone.  "  I  know  I  will  be  smothered  if  I  stay  in  it.  No ;  I 
shall  wrap  myself  up  in  a  blanket  and  sleep  under  the  moon 
like  Endymion,  which  will  be  training  for  your  friend's 
statue." 

"That  will  be  dangerous,"  objected  the  Eector. 

"  Not  at  all !  In  Greece  —  I  mean  my  native  islands  —  I 
sleep  out  very  often.  Oh,  there  is  nothing  more  beautiful 
than  slumber  in  the  open  air.  I  cannot  bear  houses ;  they 
stifle  me  ;  they  crush  me.  I  love  no  roof  lower  than  the  sky. 
And  then  to  wake  at  dawn,  to  see  the  east  glow  with  rosy 
tints,  to  watch  the  dew  moisten  every  blade  of  grass,  the 
awakening  of  the  animals,  the  first  songs  of  the  birds,  and 
the  rising  of  the  sun.  Oh,  I  worship  the  sun  !  I  worship 
him!" 

The  Rector  was  a  trifle  shocked  at  this  peroration,  as  he 
was  not  quite  sure  whether  this  fantastic  being  was  not  a 
sun-worshipper  in  downright  earnest ;  the  more  so  as  in  a  sud- 
den freak  he  flung  himself  down  on  his  knees  and  held  out 
his  arms  to  the  glorious  luminary. 

"You  are  joking,"  he  said  gravely. 

"Not  I,"  replied  Caliphronas,  springing  to  his  feet.  "  You 
are  not  angry,  are  you,  sir  ?  Eh  !  I  forgot  myself  you  were 
a  priest  in  this  country.  I  must  explain.  I  am  of  the  Greek 
Church  —  yes!  oh,  I  have  been  baptized." 

The  Rector  smiled,  and  said  no  more,  for  it  was  impossible 
to  talk  seriously  with  a  man  who  possessed  so  childish  a  soul. 
Meanwhile,  Maurice,  who  had  been  thinking  over  matters, 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  would  ask  Caliphronas  to  stay 
at  the  Grange  for  a  few  days.  At  first  sight  this  seemed 
rather  injudicious,  but  when  he  remembered  the  high  char- 
acter of  the  man  who  vouched  for  the  respectability  of  the 
Greek,  all  his  scruples  vanished.  Besides,  Caliphronas  was 
such  a  peculiar  character  that  he  desired  a  closer  acquaint- 


52  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

ance  with  him ;  and,  above  all,  he  could  not  hope  anywhere 
to  find  such  a  perfect  model  for  his  Endymion.  Taking, 
then,  all  these  facts  into  consideration,  he  speedily  made  up 
his  mind  to  ask  the  Count  to  be  his  guest,  and  did  so  with- 
out delay. 

"  Count,"  he  said  politely,  "  I  am  afraid  you  will  find  that 
inn  very  uncomfortable,  so  I  would  be  glad  to  see  you  at  the 
Grange  for  a  week  or  so,  where  I  think  you  will  find  your- 
self in  more  civilized  quarters." 

The  Count's  eyes  flashed  with  what  looked  uncommonly 
like  triumph,  but  he  dropped  the  lids  over  them  rapidly  for 
the  moment,  so  as  to  prevent  this  look  being  seen,  and  shook 
Maurice  heartily  by  the  hand. 

"  Thank  you  very  much  !  oh,  very  much  indeed  !  "  he  said 
effusively.  "  I  hope  I  will  not  trouble  you.  I  will  be  glad 
to  come  —  yes,  that  place  in  the  village  would  kill  me." 

"  That's  all  right,"  replied  Maurice,  who  had  an  English- 
man's horror  of  a  scene.  "  I  will  send  over  for  your  traps, 
and  you  can  come  to  the  Grange  in  time  for  dinner.  We 
dine  at  seven  o'clock."  • 

"  Thank  you,  sir.     I  will  be  at  your  home  to-night." 

The  Eector,  who  had  fully  intended  to  ask  Caliphronas  to 
be  his  guest,  was  rather  startled  by  Maurice's  precipitancy, 
but,  on  the  whole,  was  not  ill-pleased,  for  two  reasons :  the 
first  being  that  he  did  not  much  care  about  burdening  him- 
self with  this  eccentric  foreigner ;  and  the  second,  that  he 
was  delighted  that,  during  the  stay  of  the  Count  at  the 
Grange,  Maurice  would  take  to  his  modelling  again. 

"By  the  way,"  said  Maurice,  turning  suddenly  to  the 
Count,  "  do  you  know  any  one  called  Crispin  ?  "' 

^'Creespeen ! "  repeated  Caliphronas,  with  his  foreign 
accent;  "no,  I  do  not  know  that  name." 

"He  is  a  gentleman  who  is  staying  with  me,"  replied 
Roylands  carelessly ;  "  and,  as  he  is  pretty  well  acquainted 
with  your  part  of  the  world,  I  thought  you  might  have  met 
him." 

The  Greek  smilingly  denied  that  he  had  the  honor  of 
Crispin's  acquaintance,  but  it  seemed  to  Maurice  as  though 
there  was  a  shade  of  apprehension  on  his  face  which  some- 
what puzzled  the  young  man. 

"Can't  make  this  fellow  out,"  was  his  mental  comment. 
"Hope  I'm  not  making  a  mistake  in  asking  him  to  the 
Grange.  Still,  the  Archdeacon's  letter  to  Carriston  is  a 
sufficient  guarantee  that  he  is  not  a  swindler,  so  I  will 
chance  it." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  63 

"  I  must  now  say  good-by,"  said  Caliphronas  to  the  Eector, 
"  and  thank  you  for  your  kindness.  Of  course  I  will  see  you 
soon  again." 

"Oh  yes.     You  must  come  here  as  often  as  you  can." 

"That  will  not  be  much  if  I  am  to  sit  for  this  artist," 
laughed  Caliphronas,  turning  to  Maurice.  "Good-by,  sir;  I 
will  see  you  to-night  at  six  o'clock." 

He  turned  away  gayly  and  left  the  garden,  followed  by  the 
admiring  eyes  of  the  two  men,  especially  of  Maurice,  who 
congratulated  himself  on  his  good  fortune  in  obtaining  such 
a  perfect  model. 

Meanwhile  Caliphronas  was  walking  swiftly  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Royland  Arms. 

"  Good !  "  he  muttered  to  himself  in  Greek.  "  The  first 
step  is  taken,  so  I  have  no  fear  now." 


CHAPTER  V. 

CRISPIN    IS    PUZZLED. 

I've  seen  you  before 
But  where  I  forget, 
Yet  somewhere  of  yore 
I've  seen  you  before ; 
You  meet  me  once  more, 
A  stranger  —  and  yet 
I've  seen  you  before, 
But  where  I  forget. 

Up  and  down  the  long  terrace  in  front  of  the  Grange 
walked  Crispin,  and,  from  the  rapt  expression  of  his  face, 
it  would  seem  as  though  he  were  composing  poetry ;  but,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  he  was  thinking  about  Eunice.  The  course 
of  their  true  love  did  not  run  smooth  by  any  means,  for  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  having  found  her  daughter  in  the  company  of  the 
poet,  had  marched  off  the  former  in  order  to  lecture  her 
about  the  latter.  The  substance,  therefore,  having  been 
taken  away,  Crispin  was  left  with  only  the  shadow;  in 
other  words,  from  speaking  to  Eunice,  he  was  reduced  to 
thinking  of  Eunice,  which  was  not  by  any  means  so  pleasant 
a  position  of  affairs. 

This  uncomfortable  state  of  things  was  due  to  the  dis- 
covery made  by  Mrs.  Dengelton,  that  her  daughter  had  the 


54  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

previous  evening  been  engaged  in  moongazing  with  the  poet, 
a  fact  which  the  astute  Parrot  extracted  with  wonderful  dex- 
terity from  her  reluctant  daughter.  Mrs.  Dengelton  had 
talked  a  good  deal  about  the  family  romance,  as  related  to 
the  Eector  and  Maurice,  whereupon  Eunice,  having  been 
asked  questions  concerning  the  same,  was  forced  to  admit 
that  she  had  been  absent  during  the  recital.  Her  mother  at 
once  pounced  down  on  this  dainaging  admission  like  a  hawk, 
and  pressed  the  poor  girl  so  mercilessly  with  questions,  that 
she  was  obliged  to  tell  of  that  pleasant  half-hour  on  the 
terrace  in  company  with  Crispin. 

On  making  this  discovery,  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  too  wise  to 
reproach  her  daughter,  and  thereby  run  the  risk  of  making 
her  deaf  to  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  i.e.,  resist  her  mother's 
desires  in  connection  with  matrimony.  No,  the  elder  lady 
said  nothing  about  what  she  considered  to  be  an  act  of  mad- 
ness, but  privately  determined  to  keep  Crispin  and  Eunice 
apart  by  every  means  in  her  power.  She  was  on  the  watch 
this  morning,  and,  having  finished  the  daily  papers,  —  for 
Mrs.  Dengelton  prided  herself  on  her  universal  knowledge 
of  what  was  going  on  in  the  world,  —  went  out  to  look  for 
Eunice,  who  had  disappeared.  As  she  expected,  she  found 
her  in  the  company  of  the  poet,  whereupon  she  made  some 
ladylike  excuse,  —  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  an  adept  at  telling 
white  lies,  —  and  took  Eunice  away  to  her  room,  where  she 
kept  her  busy  with  letter-writing. 

Crispin,  therefore,  deprived  of  the  company  of  his  inam- 
orata, was  by  no  means  in  a  cheerful  mood,  and  regretted 
that  Eunice  had  not  sufficient  strength  of  mind  to  defy  her 
mother,  and  end  all  his  trouble  by  marrying  him  witliout 
delay.  He  had  a  very  impulsive  nature,  and  would  have 
liked  to  sweep  away  these  obstacles  by  sheer  force  of  insist- 
ence that  the  marriage  should  take  place  at  once  ;  but  his 
impulses  were  in  a  great  measure  restrained  by  experience 
in  the  school  of  the  world,  and  he  saw  that  it  would  be  wiser 
to  watch  and  wait.  Already  he  was  seriously  thinking  of  end- 
ing his  visit,  and  returning  to  town,  in  order^to  enlist  his  great 
friend.  Lady  Bentwitch,  on  his  side,  as  such  a  fashionable 
personage  might  be  able  to  talk  Mrs.  Dengelton  into  assent- 
ing to  the  marriage ;  but  in  spite  of  his  strength  of  character 
he  was  reluctant  to  leave  Eunice  even  for  the  short  space  of 
a  week.  So,  like  the  ass  between  two  bundles  of  hay,  he 
could  not  quite  make  up  his  mind  which  course  to  take, 
when  he  saw  Maurice  coming  leisurely  along  the  terrace, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  65 

and  the  conversation  which  ensued  between  them  enabled 
him  to  at  once  settle  his  future  movements. 

When  the  master  of  Roylands  reached  his  side,  Crispin 
was  struck  with  the  unusual  vivacity  of  his  face.  The 
gloomy  look  which  it  generally  wore  had  quite  disappeared, 
and  in  its  place  was  an  alert,  eager  expression,  which  showed 
that  Maurice  was  deeply  interested  in  some  important  matter. 

"  My  dear  Roylands,"  cried  Crispin  in  astonishment,  '•  why 
this  transformation  ?  Yesterday  you  were  plunged  in  gloom, 
to-day  Romeo  on  his  way  to  Juliet  looked  not  so  happy. 
Who  is  the  enchanter  —  or  shall  I  say  enchantress  —  who 
has  worked  this  miracle  ?  " 

"  The  Rector  has  been  giving  me  a  lecture,"  said  Maurice 
gayly,  lighting  a  cigarette;  "a  terrible  lecture,  which  re- 
minded me  of  the  days  when  I  made  false  quantities  in  Latin 
verse,  and  translated  good  Greek  into  bad  English." 

''  Ah,  you  ought  to  have  a  lecture  every  day  if  it  benefits 
you  in  this  way.  You  are  much  pleasanter  as  Sancho  Panza 
than  as  Don  Quixote." 

''  Explain  ! " 

"  Well,  the  squire  was  always  merry,  and  the  knight  dole- 
ful ;  so  I  like  you  as  the  former  more  than  the  latter." 

"  I  am  afraid  we  have  changed  characters,  Crispin.  You 
are  the  Knight  of  the  Rueful  Countenance  now." 

"  Eunice  "  — 

"  Cela  va  sans  dire,^^  said  Maurice,  leaning  his  elbows  on 
the  balustrade.  "  Oh,  do  not  look  so  astonished,  Monsieur 
Cupid !  I  am  not  so  blind  but  what  I  can  see  how  things 
stand  between  you  and  Psyche." 

"  You  take  credit  to  yourself  when  none  is  due,"  replied 
Crispin  significantly.  "  Mr.  Carriston  drew  your  attention 
to  our  position.     You  did  not  see  it  for  yourself." 

"  That  is  true  enough ;  but  how  did  you  guess  that  the 
Rector  told  me  ?  " 

''Because  you  were  too  much  wrapped  up  in  yourself  to 
notice  unhappy  lovers." 

''  Unhappy  lovers  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  love  Eunice,  and  my  affection  is  returned ;  but 
there  is  an  obstacle  which  prevents  our  marriage." 

"  And  this  obstacle  ?  " 

"  Is  yourself." 

"  I  ?  " 

"  You  !     Mrs.  Dengelton  wants  Eunice  to  marry  you." 

"  There's  always  two  to  a  bargain,"  said  Maurice  grimly. 
*'  I  don't  want  to  marry  Eunice." 


56  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Oh,  you  don't  love  her  ?  " 

"As  a  cousin,  yes ;  as  a  possible  wife,  no." 

"  Then  there  is  some  chance  for  me  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  there  was  every  chance  for  you,"  remarked 
Roy  lands  in  a  friendly  manner.  ^'  You  are  young  and 
famous,  you  know  every  one,  you  go  everywhere,  you  are  the 
adored  of  the  gentle  sex ;  so  what  more  can  Eunice  or  her 
mother  desire." 

"  Eunice  desires  nothing  —  except  myself  j  but  as  for  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  she  thinks  I  am  poor." 

"  Oh  !  and  are  you  poor  ?  " 

"No  ;  on  the  contrary,  I  am  very  well  off." 

"  Then  why  don't  you  place  all  your  perfections  before  my 
dear  aunt,  and  persuade  her  into  consenting  to  the  match." 

^'I  don't  want  to  do  so  —  yet,"  said  Crispin,  with  some 
hesitation. 

'■  Why  all  this  mystery  ?  " 

"I  cannot  tell  jon  just  now,  but  you  may  be  certain  there 
is  nothing  wrong  about  the  mystery.  I  will  satisfy  Mrs. 
Dengelton  on  all  points  shortly,  and  then,  perhaps,  I  will 
have  the  felicity  of  being  your  cousin-in-law." 

"  I  wish  you  good  luck." 

"You  would  not  object  to  my  marrying  your  cousin?" 
asked  Crispin  timidly. 

"I?"  said  Maurice  in  amazement.  "Certainly  not!  I 
believe  in  love  matches  ;  but,  of  course,  —  though  I  have  but 
little  to  say  in  the  matter,  —  I  would  like  to  know  who  you 
are,  where  you  come  from,  and  all  that,  before  you  become 
the  husband  of  Eunice." 

"I  will  explain  everything  to  your  satisfaction  —  shortly." 

"The  sooner  the  better  for  your  own  sake." 

"  I  don't  understand  you,"  said  Crispin,  with  some  hauteur. 

"  I  mean  as  regards  Eunice,"  explained  Maurice  quickly. 
"If  you  don't  tell  my  aunt  of  your  intentions,  and  put  your- 
self right  as  regards  money  and  position  in  her  eyes,  she  will 
marry  Eunice  to  some  one  else.  Failing  me,  —  audi  have 
not  the  slightest  intention  of  marrying  my  dear  cousin,  — 
she  will  angle  for  another  rich  man,  who  will  probably  not 
be  so  blind  to  the  charms  of  Eunice  as  I  am.  -In  that  case, 
my  poor  Crispin,  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  all  up  with  you." 

"  What  you  say  is  very  true,"  replied  Crispin  reflectively. 
"  I  will  speak  to  Mrs.  Dengelton  before  I  leave  the  Grange." 

"  I  cannot  understand  what  you  are  making  all  this 
mystery  about.'^ 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  57 

"  Because  I  am  proud,"  rejoined  the  poet,  with  a  flush  on 
his  dark  cheek.  "I  cannot  explain  myself  now,  but  I  will 
some  day,  and  then  you  will  see  I  have  a  good  reason  for  my 
reticence." 

"  So  be  it.     But  at  present  you  are  a  riddle." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  I  am,"  said  Crispin  smilingly;  "but  one 
which  will  shortly  be  explained,  and,  like  all  riddles,  turn 
out  to  be  very  disappointing.  By  the  way,  you  might  offer 
me  one  of  those  excellent  cigarettes." 

'•  Certainly,"  answered  Maurice,  holding  out  his  open  case. 
"  Unlike  Caliphronas,  you  are  fond  of  smoking." 

"  Caliphronas  !  Who  is  he  ?  what  is  it  ?  man,  woman,  or 
child,  or  something  to  eat  ?  " 

"  The  first  —  a  Greek.     Count  Constantine  Caliphronas." 

"  Phoebus  !  what  a  name  !"  ejaculated  Crispin,  lighting  his 
cigarette.     "  Who  is  he  ?  " 

"  A  Greek  nobleman." 

"  Humph  !     I  mistrust  Greek  noblemen." 

"Well,  they  have  got  a  bad  name,"  said  Maurice  quite 
apologetically  ;  "  but  I  don't  think  this  one  is  a  chevalier 
dHndustrie.^^ 

"  The  exception  which  proves  the  rule,  perhaps,"  replied 
Crispin  idly ;  "  but  really  I  have  no  right  to  call  the  Greeks 
names,  as  on  the  whole  they  are  not  bad.  I  have  a  good 
many  friends  among  the  countrymen  of  Plato." 

"  Do  you  know  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"Ah,  that  I  cannot  tell  until  I  see  him." 

"  Well,  you  will  see  him  soon,  as  he  is  coming  to  stay  here 
for  a  few  days." 

"  Stay  here  ! "  said  Crispin  in  some  surprise.  "  My  dear 
Roylands,  is  not  this  a  very  sudden  friendship  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  a  friendship  at  all." 

"  Well,  when  a  man  asks  another  to  his  house  to  stay  — 
to  be  introduced  to  his  relatives  —  it  is  uncommonly  like 
friendship." 

"  I  am  not  so  conventional  as  most  Englishmen,"  said 
Maurice  impatiently,  "  and  therefore  do  not  act  by  rule.  I 
daresay  I  should  have  made  inquiries  about  the  past  of  this 
Greek  before  asking  him  to  my  house  ;  but,  as  far  as  that 
goes,  you  are  a  riddle  yourself." 

Crispin's  sallow  cheek  flushed  at  this  home  thrust,  but  he 
had  great  self-command,  and  replied  quietly  enough, — 

"  That  is  rather  a  hard  thing  to  say  of  me.  I  thought  you 
were  my  friend.'^ 


58  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Pardon  me,  old  fellow,"  said  Eoylands  penitently.  "  T 
did  not  mean  to  be  so  rude..  I  have  an  abominable  temper, 
and  should  be  kicked  for  saying  such  a  thing  in  my  own 
house." 

"I  will  let  you  off  the  kicking,"  replied  Crispin,  recovering 
his  good-humor.  "  As  you  very  truly  say,  I  am  a  riddle ; 
but  1  will  explain  myself  soon.  Still,  this  Count  Caliph- 
ronas  "  — 

"  Do  you  know  the  name  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  faint  idea  I  have  heard  it  before." 

"  In  Greece  ?  " 

"  Most  probably.     I  know  the  isles  of  Greece  very  well." 

"  Ah,  is  that  a  quotation  from  Byron,  or  a  pointed  remark  ? 
In  other  words,  is  it  serious  or  a  chance  shot  ?  " 

"  The  latter  —  I  only  quoted  from  '  Don  Juan.'  Why  do 
you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because  this  Count  does  come  from  the  isles  of  Greece. 
He  says  he  was  born  in  Ithaca." 

"  Ah,  he  is  not  reticent  about  himself,"  said  Crispin  dryly. 
"  I  will  tell  you  what  I  think  of  him  when  I  see  him.  At 
present  I  cannot  recall  the  name  precisely,  though  I  fancy  I 
have  heard  it  before.  Meanwhile,  tell  me  all  you  know 
about  him." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  is  but  little.  He  arrived  this  morning 
at  Eoylands,  with  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the  Rector  from 
the  Archdeacon  of  Eastminster,  and  came  to  luncheon  at  the 
Rectory.  During  our  conversation,  he  complained  of  how 
badly  he  was  put  up  at  the  Royland  Arms,  and  as  I  knew 
Carriston  would  ask  him  to  stay  at  the  Rectory,  a  thing  I 
know  he  dislikes  doing,  as  he  hates  strangers  in  his  house, 
I  took  the  bull  by  the  horns,  and  asked  Caliphronas  to  come 
here  for  a  time.  He  accepted,  and  is  coming  with  his  traps 
tliis  evening." 

"  Was  it  only  for  the  sake  of  taking  the  burden  off  Mr. 
Carriston's  shoulders  that  you  gave  your  invitation  ?  " 

"Not  exactly.  This  Caliphronas  is  a  splendid-looking 
fellow,  and  I  asked  him  to  sit  to  me  for  my  statue  of 
Endymion." 

"  Oh  !  is  he  worthy  to  be  a  model  ?  " 

"  My  dear  Crispin,  he  has  the  most  perfect  figure  for  a 
man  I  ever  saw  in  my  life;  wonderfully  handsome,  and  with 
a  wild,  untamed  air  about  him  that  is  quite  unique." 

Crispin  listened  to  this  speech  without  moving  a  muscle, 
but  a  strange  look  came  into  his  eyes. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  59 

"Have  you  ever  read  ^A  Strange  Story/  by  Lytton?"  he 
asked  abruptly. 

"  Yes,  several  times,"  replied  Maurice,  somewhat  aston- 
ished at  the  irrelevancy  of  the  question. 

"  Then  does  this  man  resemble  Margrave,  the  hero  of  the 
book  ?  " 

"  In  what  way  ?  " 

"In  every  way  except  the  mysticism.  Is  he  an  ardent 
lover  of  Nature  ?  Does  he  talk  a  lot  about  classical  times  ? 
Is  he  impulsive  and  utterly  selfish  ?  " 

"  As  to  the  last  quality,  I  have  not  yet  had  an  opportunity 
of  judging,  but  for  the  rest,  you  have  described  him  ex- 
actly." 

"  Caliphronas  !  "  murmured  Crispin  in  a  pondering  man- 
ner. 

"  Do  you  know  him  ?  " 

Crispin  did  not  answer  at  once,  and  seemed  to  be  making 
up  his  mind  as  to  w^hat  he  would  say.  At  last  he  turned  to 
Maurice  with  an  enigmatic  smile  on  his  face,  and  shrugged 
his  shoulders. 

"  Not  as  far  as  I  can  recollect.  That  description  I  have 
given  as  applied  to  Margrave  would  suit  a  good  many 
Greeks.  They  are  mostly  handsome,  and,  especially  among 
the  islands,  from  living  so  much  in  the  open  air,  imbibe  a 
great  love  for  Nature.  Naturally,  as  they  have  no  modern 
glories  to  talk  about,  they  boast  of  ancient  times  and  ancient 
heroism.  They  are  all  impulsive,  so  you  see  I  simply  de- 
scribed the  Greek  at  large,  not  this  one  in  particular." 

"  But  you  have  described  him  exactly." 

"  I  tell  you  the  description  suits  any  Greek,  as  I  have 
explained." 

"  Then  you  don't  know  this  man  ?  " 

"No  ;  I  know  no  one  of  the  name  of  Caliphronas,"  replied 
Crispin,  with  a  slight  emphasis  on  the  last  word. 

Maurice  did  not  notice  the  quibble,  and  with  cheerful 
good-humor  dismissed  the  subject  from  his  mind,  as,  after 
all,  this  mystery,  with  which  he  enveloped  the  Count,  might 
turn  out  to  be  but  an  unworthy  suspicion.  Plenty  of  Greeks 
come  to  England,  and  one  more  or  less  did  not  matter.  He 
would  trouble  his  head  no  more  about  this  man  who  had 
dropped  from  the  clouds  into  this  dull  little  village,  but 
make  use  of  him  as  a  model,  and  then  say  good-by  to  him 
with  the  best  grace  in  the  world.  Once  he  left  the  Grange, 
it  was  unlikely  he  would  ever  cross  his  path  again,  as  Mau- 


60  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

rice  had  not  the  slightest  intention  of  going  to  Greece,  and 
looked  forward  to  a  humdrum  life  at  E-oylands  for  the  next 
few  years.  How  little  did  he  know  what  w^as  in  store  for 
him,  and  that  from  this  appearance  of  Count  Caliphronas 
dated  a  new  era  in  his  life. 

Meanwhile,  Crispin,  who  in  reality  knew  a  good  deal  more 
than  he  chose  to  tell,  was  watching  him  keenly.  "  You 
must  not  relapse  into  your  gloomy  fits  again,"  he  said,  laying 
his  hand  lightly  on  his  friend's  arm. 

"I  do  not  intend  to,"  replied  Maurice  cheerfully.  '-ISTo  ; 
I  now  see  the  excellence  of  the  Kector's  advice.  Take  an 
interest  in  life,  and  you  w^ill  be  happy.  I  am  taking  an  in- 
terest in  life — in  your  wooing  of  Eunice,  and  in  Cali- 
phronas." 

''  Why  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  Because  he  is  my  Endymion  in  the  flesh,  I  am  going  to 
create  a  wonderful  statue,  Crispin,  the  like  of  which  has  not 
been  seen  since  the  days  of  Canova.  As  to  this  riddle  of 
Caliphronas,  we  will  solve  him  together." 

"  Perhaps  the  solution  may  be  easier  than  j^ou  think." 

"  Crispin,  you  know  something  about  this  man  !  " 

"  Nonsense  !  I  tell  you  I  know  no  one  called  Caliphro- 
nas." 

"Names  maybe  assumed,"  said  Maurice  shrewdly,  '-'and 
I  am  sure  you  have  met  the  owner  of  this  one  before." 

"  I  meet  so  many  people,"  replied  Crispin  carelessly,  "  it 
is  probable  I  may  have  seen  him  ;  but  really  I  can  tell  you 
nothing  about  him  —  yet." 

"  Ah  !  then  j^ou  will  some  day  ?  " 

^'  My  dear  Koylands,"  said  Crispin  impatiently,  "Caliphro- 
nas and  his  past  life  is  becoming  quite  a  mania  with 
you.  I  don't  know  the  man,  but  from  your  description,  I 
fancy  I  have  met  him,  though,  as  I  said  before,  such  de- 
scription would  apply  to  dozens  of  other  Levantine  Greeks. 
When  I  see  him  I  will  tell  you  if  I  recognize  him ;  but  what 
then  ?  he  may  be  only  a  casual  acquaintance,  and  therefore 
I  will  not  know  his  history.  If  you  mistrusted  his  looks, 
you  should  not  have  asked  him  to  the  Grange." 

"My  dear  fellow,  it  was  on  account  of  his  looks  I  did  ask 
him.  He  is  my  Endymion,  remember.  But  you  are  right ; 
I  am  making  a  mountain  out  of  a  molehill,  still,  there  is 
some  excuse  for  me.  A  unique  specimen  of  humanity  like 
Caliphronas  does  not  appear  every  day  in  a  village  like  Koy- 
lands,  so  it  is  natural  I  should  be  curious  about  him.     But 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  61 

there,  we  will  say  no  more  about  your  brother  mystery. 
I  am  going  to  have  an  interview  with  my  bailiff,  and  you 
may  thank  your  stars,  my  friend,  you  are  a  poet,  and  not  a 
landed  proprietor." 

Maurice  sauntered  away  laughing,  looking  by  no  means  the 
kind  of  man  to  overburden  himself  with  work ;  but  Crispin 
remained  leaning  over  the  balustrade  of  the  terrace,  gazing 
absently  at  the  silver  spray  of  the  fountain  glittering  in  the 
sunlight,  and  thinking  deeply. 

"  I  wonder  what  he  wants  here,"  thought  the  poet,  with  a 
frown  on  his  expressive  face.  "  A  man  like  that  does  not 
come  down  to  a  quiet  village  for  nothing.  Can  it  be  to  see 
me  ?  No  !  that  is  impossible,  as  he  could  not  know  I  was 
here.  Curious  I  never  saw  him  in  London,  for  he  must  have 
been  there  at  the  same  time  as  myself,  unless,  indeed,  he  has 
just  arrived  in  England.  He  has  some  scheme  in  his  head, 
I  am  certain  —  if  I  could  only  see  him  alone  and  fathom  his 
motives  !  Oh,  you  fox  you  !  Cunning  as  you  are,  I  will  foil 
you.  It  is  no  good.  You  are  after  my  friend,  I'm  sure  of 
that." 

He  walked  forward  a  few  paces,  still  pondering,  then  re- 
sumed his  soliloquizing  in  a  muttered  tone. 

"  Eoylands  said  this  Caliphronas  was  coming  over  about 
six  o'clock.  He  is  staying  at  the  Koyland  Arms,  so  I  think 
I  will  walk  over  there  and  see  him  ;  but  no,  that  will  attract 
attention,  and  I  wish  to  tell  Roylands  nothing  yet.  I  will 
send  a  note  ;  no,  that  will  not  do.  Ah  !  I  have  it.  I  will  wait 
at  the  park  gates  and  speak  to  him  before  he  comes  up 
to  the  house.  No  one  will  know,  and  I  can  find  out  the 
reason  of  his  presence  here." 

Decidedly  this  poet  was  a  remarkably  mysterious  person, 
not  only  as  concerned  his  own  personality,  but  also  as  regarded 
this  brilliant  stranger  who  was  so  equally  enigmatic.  If 
Maurice  found  his  life  dull  now,  it  evidently  was  not  going 
to  be  so  for  any  length  of  time  ;  and,  although  he  knew  it 
not,  the  elements  of  romance  had  come  into  it  in  the  most 
unexpected  way  in  the  persons  of  Crispin  and  Constantine 
Caliphronas. 

Having  made  up  his  mind,  the  poet  thought  no  more 
about  the  Greek,  but  strolled  round  the  side  of  the  house 
to  see  if  Eunice  was  at  her  window.  He  knew  that  Mrs. 
Dengelton  especially  affected  a  small  boudoir  in  the  left 
wing  of  the  Grange,  the  window  of  which  was  only  slightly 
raised  above  the  terrace,  and  at  this  window  Crispin  felt  sure 


62  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Eunice  would  be.  Fortunately  for  himself,  lie  was  right  in 
his  conjecture,  for  on  arriving  in  sight  of  the  casement,  he 
saw  Eunice  sitting  at  it  in  a  dejected  attitude,  evidently 
expectant  of  a  visit  from  her  lover. 

''Miss  Dengelton  !"  he  said  cautiously,  not  knowing  but 
that  the  dragon  might  be  within  hearing,  and  therefore 
adopting  society  manners. 

''  She  has  gone  out  of  the  room  for  a  few  minutes,"  said 
his  lady  in  a  frightened  whisper.     '•  Do  go  away." 

"  What !  when  the  coast  is  clear  !     Not  if  I  know  it." 

"  I  expect  her  back  every  minute." 

"  Very  well  ;  till  she  arrives  we  can  talk  about  ourselves, 
and  even  when  she  does  we  can  surely  chat  about  the 
weather." 

"  I  heard  you  laughing  with  Maurice." 

"  Yes  ;  he  is  quite  gay  to-day.  He  has  found  a  model  for 
his  statue  of  Endymion." 

'^  Some  village  bumpkin?  " 

"  No,  a  Greek  gentleman." 

"  A  Greek !  and  pray  what  is  a  Greek  doing  down  here  ?  '^ 

Crispin  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  You  will  see  him  to-night,  so 
don't  fall  in  love  with  him." 

"Why  should  I?" 

"  He  is  very  handsome." 

"  I  don't  care  for  handsome  men,  they  are  so  conceited." 

"  Humph  !  that  is  not  a  compliment  to  me." 

"  Well,  you  are  not  conceited,  are  you  ?  " 

"Nor  handsome." 

"  You  are  handsome  enough  for  me,  at  all  events,"  said 
Eunice  coquettishly. 

"  What  a  charming  compliment !  "  replied  Crispin  gayly  ; 
"  for  that  I  will  give  you  a  rose." 

"  Hush  !  here  comes  my  mother." 

But  Crispin,  alas  !  had  not  heard  the  warning,  and,  having 
plucked  the  finest  rose  he  could  see,  returned  to  the  window, 
to  find  himself  confronted  by  the  gaudy  figure  of  The 
Parrot,  whose  beady  eyes  sparkled  maliciously  as  he 
approached. 

"  What !  a  rose  for  me,  dear  Mr.  Crispin  ?  "  she  said, 
stretching  out  her  hand,  in  which  Crispin  was  unwillingly 
compelled  to  place  his  flower ;  "  how  kind  of  you  !  The 
young  men  of  to-day  are  gallant  after  all.  Look,  Eunice,  is 
not  this  flower  charming  ?  almost  as  charming  as  you  are, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  63 

Mr.  Crispin.  The  Rose  of  Sharon  —  oh,  Shiraz  —  you  see 
I've  read  your  book.  Now,  I  have  no  time  to  talk,  my  dear 
Mr.  Crispin,  so  you  must  go  away  for  the  present  at  all 
events.  We  will  meet  at  luncheon,  and  if  you  are  very  good 
you  may  bring  me  in  another  rose." 

ISIrs.  Dengelton,  having  thus  vanquished  the  enemy,  dis- 
appeared with  her  daughter  and  shut  the  window,  upon  which 
poor  Crispin  walked  away  in  a  rage. 

''  Old  cat ! "  he  said,  which  was  certainly  neither  polite  nor 
poetical. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

SUB    ROSA. 

Secrets  absurd 
Leading  to  woes, 
Only  are  heard 
Under  the  rose. 

Maidens  refuse, 
Lovers  propose, 
Just  as  they  choose, 
Under  the  rose. 

How  scandals  spread 
Nobody  knows. 
For  they  are  said 
Under  the  rose. 

When  anything  marvellous  occurs  in  real  life,  wiseacres 
shake  their  heads,  and  say,  "  Wonderful !  extraordinary ! 
Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction."  But  when  a  novel  contains 
any  incident  out  of  the  common,  these  same  inconsistent 
people  refuse  to  believe  it  on  the  plea  that  "  Fiction  is  not 
stranger  than  truth."  They  entirely  forget  that  fiction  is 
but  a  reflection  of  real  life,  and  that  man  can  imagine  noth- 
ing, but  merely  reproduces  what  he  sees  around  him.  The 
sceptic  will  object,  —  "Fairy  tales!"  Well,  my  dear 
doubter,  how  do  you  know  that  fairy  tales  do  not  contain  a 
germ  of  truth  ?  there  may  have  been  fairies  in  the  earlier 
ages  of  the  world,  and  if  so,  the  chronicles  of  Fairyland  are 
as  authentic  as  those  of  England  —  perhaps  more  so,  seeing  all 
histories  are  tinctured  more  or  less  with  partisanship.  Who 
would  have  believed  in  the  mammoth,  had  not  the  huge  beast 
been  reconstructed  by  Cuvier  ?  or  in ,  the  moa,  had  not  the 


64  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

skeleton  of  that  gigantic  bird  been  discovered  in  iS'ew  Zea- 
land ?  Nay,  there  is  doubtless  much  truth  in  those  extrava- 
gant travels  of  Marco  Polo,  Sir  John  Mandeville,  and  such- 
like wanderers.  The  middle  ages  were  times  of  improbability, 
not  of  impossibility,  for  but  little  was  known  of  the  geo- 
graphical world.  Well,  we  of  this  nineteenth  century  have 
discovered  all  possible  continents,  and  assume  that  we 
know  everything ;  but  such  is  not  the  case,  for,  though  we 
may  have  exhausted  the  geographical  world,  we  know 
comparatively  few  of  the  secrets  of  Nature.  The  pebble 
parable  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  will  here  occur  to  many  minds, 
and  it  applies  as  truly  to  our  times  as  to  his  own.  Earth, 
sky,  and  water  are  full  of  secrets,  many  of  which  yet  defy 
our  efforts  to  learn  and  catalogue  them.  This  century  has 
been  prolific  of  discoveries,  but  even  add  another  hundred 
years  of  fresh  revelations,  and  Nature  will  still  give  us 
riddles  to  solve  out  of  her  exhaustless  store. 

Therefore,  when  a  coincidence  occurs  in  a  fiction,  though 
it  may  be  improbable,  it  is  not  impossible,  and  he  who  takes 
the  trouble  to  keep  his  eyes  open,  his  mental  as  well  as  his 
physical  eyes,  will,  in  nearly  every  case,  find  the  counter- 
part of  the  ideal  in  the  real.  Here,  then,  are  two  mysteri- 
ous individuals,  who,  masquerading  under  the  names  of 
Crispin  and  Caliphronas,  meet  one  another  in  the  most 
unexpected  manner  in  the  most  unexpected  place.  Wise- 
acres will  at  once  say  "Impossible  ! "  but,  going  on  the  theory 
set  forth  as  before,  such  a  meeting  is  not  impossible,  but 
probable.  Fate,  Destiny,  Fortune,  —  whatever  be  the  name 
of  the  power  which  guides  our  circumstances,  —  delights  in 
surprises  quite  as  much  as  does  the  novelist ;  therefore,  why 
should  we  believe  the  first  and  doubt  the  second  ?  This  is 
inconsistent !  Therefore,  if  you  who  read  are  wise  in  your 
generation,  and  broad  in  your  views  of  probability,  you  will 
see  nothing  impossible  in  this  unexpected  meeting  of  poet 
and  adventurer. 

Caliphronas  was  an  adventurer  pure  and  simple,  of  course, 
as  regards  his  vocation  as  free  lance,  but  not  as  touching  his 
moral  or  physical  qualities.  He  had  come  to  England  with 
a  distinct  end  in  view,  and  already  had  made  the  first  step 
to  the  accomplishment  of  that  end.  Whether  his  intentions 
were  good  or  bad  remains  to  be  seen,  and  if,  my  dear  reader, 
you  cannot  tell  the  quality  of  his  designs  from  the  character 
of  the  man  as  before  described,  you  must  perforce  remain  in 
ignorance,  even  as  Crispin  remained,  for,  truth  to  tell,  that 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  65 

astute  individual  was  for  once  in  his  life  really  and  truly 
puzzled.  He  knew  Caliphronas  in  Greek  waters,  under 
another  name,  and,  having  had  considerable  experience  of 
his  character,  was  quite  confident  that  he  had  some  object  in 
view  for  thus  making  his  appearance  at  Roylands.  With 
the  determination  of  finding  out  that  object,  and  thwarting 
it  if  he  could,  —  for  Crispin  had  no  very  great  love  for  the 
Qreek,  —  our  poet  walked  down  to  the  park  gates  between 
the  hours  of  five  and  six,  with  the  intention  of  having  an 
interview  with  this  mysterious  stranger. 

In  his  own  mind  he  was  by  no  means  certain  of  the  iden- 
tity of  this  Caliphronas  with  the  person  he  thought  he  was, 
and  such  a  doubt  could  only  be  solved  by  a  personal  view  of 
the  Greek  himself ;  but  the  description  given  by  ]\Iaurice  so 
tallied  with  the  image  of  a  certain  individual,  that  Crispin 
felt  sure  that  the  conclusion  he  had  arrived  at  was  a  correct 
one.  In  order,  however,  to  end  all  doubt  on  the  subject,  he 
wanted  to  personally  interview  the  Count  before  he  set  foot 
in  Roylands  Grange,  and  had  with  considerable  dexterity 
carried  out  his  plan  without  exciting  suspicion,  a  thing 
which  he  was  anxious  to  avoid  if  possible. 

Pleading  a  headache,  —  that  convenient  excuse,  —  he  had 
managed  to  give  his  friend  the  slip,  though,  truth  to  tell,  he 
took  more  trouble  over  securing  such  secrecy  than  was  abso- 
lutely necessary,  for  Maurice,  fired  by  the  idea  of  recom- 
mencing work,  had  retreated  to  his  studio,  and  remained 
there  all  the  afternoon.  Mrs.  Dengelton  still  kept  a  watch- 
ful eye  upon  her  daughter,  and,  on  one  plea  or  another,  kept 
her  away  from  the  too-fascinating  poet :  so,  in  reality,  Crispin 
was  left  entirely  to  his  own  devices,  therefore  utilized  such 
good  fortune  by  seeking  this  important  interview  with  the 
unknown  Greek. 

So  hot  had  been  the  day,  that  Crispin  felt  a  certain  sense 
of  relief  when  the  coolness  of  night  approached,  and,  linger- 
ing under  the  mighty  oaks  which  bordered  the  avenue, 
luxuriated  in  that  delightful  twilight,  which  is  neither 
wholly  of  night  nor  day,  but  partakes  equally  of  both.  The 
air  was  still  warm,  and  there  was  a  pleasant  shade  over  the 
sky,  as  Night  gradually  drew  her  dusky  veil  across  the  glar- 
ing blue  from  east  to  west.  Shafts  of  crimson  light  shot 
through  the  wood  and  through  the  dense  foliage.  Crispin 
could  see  at  times  the  rosy  flames  of  the  setting  sun.  Still 
vocal  were  the  birds,  for  they  were  now  singing  their  good- 
night to  day,  and  in  a  short  time  nothing  would  be  heard 


66  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

but  occasional  chirps  from  some  belated  thrush,  until  with 
the  moon  came  the  divine  nightingale  to  flood  the  thickets 
with  song.  Restless  gnats  were  dancing  in  front  of  his  face 
as  he  strolled  down  the  avenue,  and  at  times  a  bat  would  flit 
noiselessly  through  the  warm  air,  while,  mellowed  by  dis- 
tance, the  chimes  of  Roylands  church  rang  musically  on  his 
ear. 

"  Six  o'clock,"  said  the  poet  to  himself,  glancing  at  his 
watch.  "I  suppose  this  Caliphronas  will  be  here  shortly. 
Roylands  sent  the  dog-cart,  but  if  this  is  the  man  I  imagine, 
he  will  send  on  his  traps  in  charge  of  the  groom,  and  walk 
over  to  the  Grange  on  such  a  perfect  evening." 

At  this  moment  he  heard  the  noise  of  approaching  wheels, 
and  shortly  afterwards  the  dogcart,  drawn  by  a  fast-trotting 
mare,  flashed  past  him,  containing  only  the  groom  and  some 
luggage.  Finding  his  conjecture  thus  prove  correct,  Crispin 
did  not  trouble  himself  to  go  farther  on  his  way  to  seek 
Caliphronas,  as  that  gentleman  was  bound  to  meet  him  in 
the  avenue ;  so,  lounging  against  the  mighty  trunk  of  an  oak, 
he  lazily  waited  the  approach  of  the  individual  concerning 
whose  intentions  he  entertained  such  doubts. 

"  I  will  crown  myself  with  roses 
To  meet  thee,  beloved. 

Why  dost  thou  fly  at  the  sight  of  my  wreath  ? 
The  hot  sun  hath  withered  it  truly. 
And  my  heart  is  burnt  up  by  thine  eyes. 
Dead  heart  !  dead  roses!  but  love  undying." 

Caliphronas  was  singing  these  words  in  Greek,  and  Crispin 
at  once  recognized  the  voice  of  the  singer,  a  recognition 
which  immediately  confirmed  his  suspicions  as  to  the  iden- 
tity of  this  gentleman. 

"  We  will  live  in  the  woods,  my  beloved, 
And  berries  will  be  our  food  ; 
On  berries  and  kisses  could  I  live  always. 
Till  Fate  destroyed  us, 
And  robbed  us  of  berries,  and  kisses,  and  life  forever." 

"I've  heard  him  singing  that  song  at  Melnos,"  muttered 
Crispin  quietly  to  himself.  "  It  is  he  !  What  can  he  be 
doing  here  ?  " 

At  this  moment  the  singer  came  in  sight,  walking  rapidly 
up  the  avenue  with  a  springy  step,  swinging  his  stick  to  and 
fro  as  he  sang.     He  was  indeed  a  sight  worth  looking  at,  as 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  67 

he  bounded  lightly  over  the  earth,  Antseus-like,  drawing 
fresh  vigor  at  every  pressure  of  his  foot  on  the  ground  ;  yet 
his  undeniable  beauty  but  excited  a  feeling  of  repulsion  in 
the  breast  of  Crispin,  who  now  knew  him  only  too  well. 
They  were  a  strange  contrast,  these  two  men  :  the  poet  small, 
dark,  and  unhandsome,  but  the  fire  of  intellect  in  his  eyes ; 
the  adventurer  a  splendid  animal,  with  nothing  but  his 
physical  perfections  to  recommend  him. 

Caliphronas  did  not  notice  the  poet  leaning  against  the 
tree,  and  came  on,  carelessly  singing  as  he  walked,  — 

"What  will  I  do  for  thee,  beloved  ? 
Oh,  I  will  do  many  deeds  of  daring  ! 
I  will  slay  the  Turk  in  his  pride. 
And  his  head  will  be  my  wedding  gift. 
Behold  I"  — 

Here  he  stopped  suddenly,  catching  sight  of  Crispin,  but, 
instead  of  being  astonished  at  the  unexpected  meeting,  as  the 
poet  expected,  he  simply  stood  still,  leaning  on  his  stick,  and 
laughing  at  the  look  on  the  other's  face. 

^'  Ah,  ah,  Creespeen !  "  he  said  in  Greek,  with  a  smile ; 
"you  did  not  expect  to  see  me  in  this  place." 

"  Certainly  I  did  not,"  retorted  Crispin  in  the  same  lan- 
guage, marvelling  at  the  self-possession  of  the  man  ;  "  and 
I've  no  doubt  the  meeting  is  unexpected  on  both  sides." 

"  Not  with  me  ;  oh  no  !  That  priest  —  the  Papa  I  saw  this 
morning  told  me  you  were  here,  and  your  friend  also  in- 
formed me  of  your  presence." 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 

"Ah,  that  is  a  long  story,  my  good  Creespeen,"  replied 
Caliphronas  coolly,  "  and  one  I  do  not  choose  to  tell." 

"  You  have  some  design  in  your  head." 

"  Assuredly,"  said  the  Count  mockingly ;  "  I  would  not 
come  to  this  cold  island  for  pleasure." 

"  Ah,  I  see  you  are  as  great  a  scoundrel  as  ever  ! " 

Caliphronas  laughed,  and  seemed  in  no  wise  offended  at  the 
scornful  tone  of  the  other.  For  such  an  epithet  an  English- 
man would  have  struck  its  utterer,  but  Caliphronas  did  not 
even  frown.  The  only  notice  he  took  of  Crispin's  rudeness 
was  to  raise  his  eyebrows  in  mocking  surprise. 

"  You  have  still  a  bad  opinion  of  me,  I  see." 

"  The  very  worst !  " 

"  What  a  truly  good  young  man  you  are  ! "  said  the  Count 
sardonically.     "  I  regret  that  you  should  be  forced  to  keep 


68  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

company  with  such  a  scamp  as  I  am  ;  but  I  am  afraid  you 
will  have  to  make  up   your    mind  to  that  or  —  go  away." 

"  I  shall  certainly  not  do  the  latter  until  I  find  out  the 
reason  of  your  presence  in  this  place." 

"Then,  my  dear  friend,  you  will  have  to  stay  here  for- 
ever," 

"  Are  you  going  to  stay  here  forever  ?  " 

"  1 1  no.     I  am  down  here  on  business." 

"  With  the  liector  ?  —  with  Eoylands  ?  with  whom  ?  " 

The  Count  looked  at  him  with  a  provoking  smile,  and 
flung  himself  on  the  grass  at  the  foot  of  the  oak  against 
which  Crispin  was  leaning. 

"  Perhaps  with  both  ;  perhaps  with  neither." 

"Now  you  listen  to  me,  Caliphronas,  —  as  that  is  the  name 
you  choose  to  go  by ;  both  Mr.  Carriston  and  Mr.  Roylands 
are  friends  of  mine,  and  if  you  have  come  down  here  with 
any  bad  design  in  your  head  against  either  of  them,  I  will 
make  it  my  business  to  thwart  you." 

"  Do  so  by  all  means,  if  you  can." 

"  I  can  do  so  by  a  very  simple  means,  though  you  seem  to 
doubt  it,"  said  Crispin  quietly.  "  You  brought  an  excel- 
lent letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  Carriston,  though  how  you 
came  by  it  I  do  not  know.  You  have  made  friends  with 
Roylands,  who  is  a  simple  fellow,  by  consenting  to  be  his 
model  for  End^nnion" — 

"  And  a  very  good  model  too,"  interrupted  Caliphronas, 
looking  at  himself  complacently. 

"  I  don't  deny  your  outward  goodliness  ;  —  it  is  a  pity  your 
mind  is  not  in  keeping.  But  to  come  back  to  what  I  was 
saying.  You  have  made  friends  with  both  the  gentlemen  I 
speak  of,  and  perhaps  such  friendship  is  necessary  to  your 
plans  ;  if  so,  I  will  end  it." 

"  How  will  you  manage  that  ?  "  said  the  Count  coolly,  but 
with  a  nasty  glitter  in  his  eyes. 

"  Simply  by  telling  them  who  you  are  and  what  you  are." 

"  You  will  not  do  that !  " 

"  I  will,  if  your  designs  are  bad." 

"  How  do  you  know  my  designs  are  bad  ?  " 

"  Because  to  a  man  of  your  nature  goodness  is  impossible." 

"  I  would  not  go  so  far  as  to  say  it  is  impossible,"  said 
Caliphronas,  with  a  sneer,  "  but  I  agree  with  you  that  it  is 
improbable.     To  my  mind,  goodness  is  a  weakness." 

"  One  you  don't  possess,  I'm  afraid." 

"  I  do  not ;  nor  do  I  wish  to  possess  it,"  replied  the  Count 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  69 

insolently,  "  But  may  I  not  draw  your  attention  to  the  fact 
that  it  is  long  past  six,  that  Koylands  dines  at  seven,  and 
that  I  am  terribly  hungry  ?  " 

"  You  can  call  my  attention  to  all  these  facts,"  retorted 
Crispin  promptly,  "  but  you  don't  enter  that  house  until  I 
know  what  you  are  going  to  do." 

"  Pay  a  visit.     Sit  for  the  Endymion." 

'- 1  am  tired  of  this  fencing.  Don't  go  on  like  this  with 
me.  An  "  — 

"  Caliphronas,"  said  the  other  quickly. 

"  Well,  one  name  is  as  good  as  another ;  but  you  needn't 
waste  all  this  diplomacy  on  me,  my  friend.  I  know  you 
too  well  to  believe  you  would  waste  your  time  in  coming 
here  for  nothing.  Now  tell  me  what  your  schemes  are,  or  I 
will  reveal  all  I  know  of  you  to  Maurice  Roylands." 

The  Count  was  thus  driven  into  a  corner,  and  all  his  suave 
manner  vanished  as  he  sat  up  on  the  turf  with  a  scowl  on 
his  handsome  face,  and  a  significant  movement  of  his  right 
hand  toward  his  waist. 

"  Oh,  I'm  not  afraid  of  that,  you  scamp,"  said  Crispin 
quickly  ;  "  you  wear  not  the  fusanella  here,  nor  have  you 
knife  or  pistol  with  you.  You  are  in  a  civilized  country,  my 
noble  Count,  so  must  act  in  a  civilized  manner." 

The  Greek,  recovering  his  temper,  burst  out  laughing,  and 
beckoned  Crispin  to  sit  down  beside  him  on  the  soft  green 
turf. 

_  "You  have  the  whip-hand  of  me,  Creespeen,"  he  said 
lightly ;  "  and  I  am  too  wise  a  man  to  waste  time  in  argu- 
ment, so  I  will  tell  you  the  reason  of  my  presence  here. 
You  were  quite  right  in  thinking  I  did  not  come  for  pleas- 
ure ;  on  the  contrary,  I  wish  to  carry  out  a  very  delicate 
affair,  and  perhaps  it  is  as  well  you  should  know,  as  I  may 
want  your  assistance  in  the  matter." 

"  I  will  help  you  in  none  of  your  villanies." 

"  By  St.  Theodore,  how  pious  you  have  become  !  Oh,  I 
forgot !  you  are  Misterr  Creespeen,  the  famous  poet,  the  new 
Chrysostom  of  the  Golden  Mouth.  Eh  yes  ;  I  heard  all  about 
you  in  London.  No  one  would  think  this  great  poet  was 
ever " — 

"  Hold  your  tongue  !  "  said  Crispin,  roughly  grasping  the 
Greek  by  the  wrist ;  "  whatever  I  have  been,  whatever  I  am, 
I  have  done  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of." 

"Indeed!  would  you  like  them  to  know  all?"  retorted 
the  Count,  jerking  his  hand  in  the  direction  of  the  house. 


70  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  I  intend  to  tell  them  all  when  I  choose  ;  but  not  before." 

"  Suppose  I  anticipate  you  ?  " 

"  Do  so,  by  all  means.  You  will  relate  the  story  of  my 
life,  and  I  will  relate  the  story  of  your  life.  I  wonder  which 
will  prove  the  more  interesting." 

"  Oh,  I  wonder,''  rejoined  Caliphronas,  with  consummate 
impudence  ;  "  but  do  not  let  us  quarrel,  as  I  may  want  your 
assistance.  Oh,  you  need  not  frown ;  I  have  no  ill  inten- 
tions towards  your  precious  friends.  In  fact,  to  put  you 
completely  at  your  ease,  I  may  as  well  tell  you  Justinian 
sent  me  to  England." 

"  Justinian  ! "  repeated  Crispin,  with  a  start.  ^'  Well, 
what  of  that  ? "  he  resumed  carelessly.  ''  You  know  I  am 
not  now  friends  with  Justinian,  —  I  have  not  seen  him  for 
nearly  "  — 

"  Three  years,  eh  ?  "  said  Caliphronas  quickly  ;  "  of 
course,  that  is  just  about  the  time  you  came  here.  Oh,  I 
heard  all  about  you  in  London ;  and  Justinian  will  have 
heard  also  by  this  time,  for  I  wrote  and  told  him  all." 

"  I  trust  he  is  pleased,"  said  Crispin  grimly. 

"As  to  that,  I  don't  know.  True,  his  goose  has  turned  out 
a  swan,  and  now,  unlike  a  swan,  sings  songs  the  world  listens 
to ;  but  such  glory  can  hardly  compensate  him  for  the  un- 
grateful manner  in  which  you  treated  him." 

"  Enough  !"  cried  Crispin  hotly,  his  dark  face  flushing  with 
anger;  "lean  justify  my  conduct  amply,  but  I  do  not  choose 
to  do  so  to  you.  Leave  Justinian,  and  Melnos,  and  all  the 
old  life  alone.  I  want  to  know  the  reason  of  your  presence 
in  Roylands." 

"Well,  you  shall  know.  But  do  not  get  furious  over 
nothing,"  said  Caliphronas  mockingly.  "I  am  afraid  you 
have  lost  all  your  old  Hellenic  calm,  and  now  resemble  one 
of  these  bad-tempered  Englishmen,  devoured  with  the  spleen, 
and  greedy  of  money." 

"I  am  not  greedy  of  money." 

"Eh?  oh,  I  see!  you  sing  j^our  songs  for  the  smiles  of 
women,  not  for  the  gold  of  their  husbands,  fathers,  and 
brothers.  Well,  I  agree  with  you ;  the  smiles  of  women  are 
very  delightful,  but  one  cannot  live  on  them,  so  I  would  like 
to  know  how  you  exist." 

"  Would  you,  indeed  ?  " 

"Yes;  and  so  would  Justinian." 

"Well,  you  will  neither  of  you  be  told.  Come,  now,  it  is 
growing  late,  and  I  wait  for  your  confession." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  71 

"  No  one  will  hear  us  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not ;  besides,  we  speak  in  Greek,  which  is  not 
so  common  in  England  as  in  Hellas." 

Caliphronas  let  the  smile  die  away  from  his  lips,  and  looked 
keenly  at  Crispin. 

''  You  will  not  reveal  what  I  have  now  to  tell  you  ?  " 

''  Not  unless  it  is  some  villany." 

"  It  is  no  villany.     It  is  an  act  of  justice.     Listen." 

The  story,  which  did  not  take  long  to  tell,  drew  forth  many 
exclamations  of  surprise  from  Crispin,  who  for  once  in  his 
life  was  astonished  at  the  revelations  of  Caliphronas,  and 
believed  he  was  speaking  the  truth.  Indeed,  he  could  hardly 
help  believing  it,  as  many  points  of  the  story  coincided  with 
what  he  himself  knew  in  connection  with  the  Koylands 
family.  When  Caliphronas  finished  his  recital,  he  flung  him- 
self back  on  the  turf,  and  waited  for  Crispin  to  speak,  which 
the  young  man  did  after  a  long  pause. 

"  What  you  have  stated  astonishes  me  very  much,"  he  said 
deliberately ;  "  but,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  there  does  not  seem 
to  be  any  harm  intended  to  my  friend." 

"None  in  the  least,"  said  the  Count  eagerly.  "You  do 
not  like  Justinian  now,  for  some  mysterious  reason,  but  I 
think  you  know  enough  about  him  to  trust  him." 

"  I  know  enough  about  him  not  to  trust  him  overmuch," 
replied  Crispin  coolly ;  "  but  with  regard  to  your  scheme  and 
his  scheme  "  — 

"  Yes  ?  "  cried  the  Count  breathlessly. 

"I  will  remain  neutral." 

Caliphronas  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief,  and  sprang  to  his 
feet. 

"  That  is  better  than  nothing ;  but  I  wish  you  would  help 
me." 

"  No ;  I  will  remain  neutral." 

"  You  can  see  for  yourself  there  is  no  harm  intended." 

"I  tell  you  I  will  remain  neutral,"  said  Crispin  for  the 
third  time,  also  rising  from  his  recumbent  attitude.  "  I  will 
neither  help  you  nor  thwart  you ;  so  you  can  do  as  you  please, 
but  I  don't  think  you'll  succeed  in  your  schemes." 

"  Don't  you  ?  "  replied  Caliphronas  provokingly,  as  they 
walked  up  to  the  house  together.  "  Well,  that  remains  to  be 
seen.     If  a  man  of  my  capacity  "  — 

"Cunning." 

"Well,  cunning  if  you  like.  If  a  man  of  my  cunning  can- 
not circumvent  this  dull-headed  "  — 


72  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"Cautious." 

"Oh,  is  he  cautious?  Well,  T  will  make  this  cautious 
Englishman  do  as  I  wish.  But  here  we  are  nearly  at  the 
house,  and  I  wait  to  know  on  what  footing  we  stand." 

'"'You  are  an  acquaintance  of  mine.  I  met  you  at  Athens. 
Talk  of  the  best-known  Athenians  as  our  mutual  friends." 

"And  you  will  say  nothing  about  Melnos  ?" 

"No." 

"  Nor  about  Justinian  ?  " 

"No." 

"Nor  Alcibiades?" 

"  I  tell  you  I  won't  say  a  word  about  any  one  or  anything,^' 
said  Crispin  impatiently.  "  You  can  carry  out  your  plan  if 
you  like.  It  does  no  harm  to  Roj'lands  as  far  as  I  can  see ; 
but  if  I  find  you  playing  double,  my  friend,  I'll  put  an  end 
to  your  games." 

"  I  always  play  fair  when  it  is  to  my  benefit  to  do  so," 
retorted  the  Greek,  with  an  unpleasant  smile. 

"  What  a  pity  it  is  not  always  to  your  benefit  to  do  so  ! " 
said  the  poet  cruelly;  "j-ou  would  then  be  an  honest  man." 

"  I  am  what  I  am,"  answered  Caliphronas  sullenly  ;  "  had  I 
created  myself,  I  might  have  made  an  improvement." 

"  Not  in  your  appearance,"  observed  Crispin,  looking  at  the 
splendid  beauty  of  the  man  beside  him.  "  I  suppose  you  are 
as  vain  as  ever  ?  " 

"  Possibly ;  but  I  never  let  my  vanity  interfere  with  my 
business." 

"  Ah,  there  is  some  sense  in  that  splendid  head  of  yours, 
but  precious  little." 

"'  Quite  enough  to  accomplish  my  wishes." 

"  I  doubt  it.  However,  here  we  are,  and  here  is  Mr. 
Roylands." 

It  was  indeed  Maurice,  who,  arrayed  in  evening  dress, 
advanced  to  meet  them,  and  greeted  Caliphronas  with  a 
smile. 

"I  had  quite  given  you  up.  Count,"  he  said,  shaking  hands 
with  the  Greek  ;  "  your  luggage  arrived,  but  not  you,  and 
the  dinner  is  now  due.  However,  as  neither  of  you  gentle- 
men is  ready,  I  have  just  put  it  off  for  half  an  hour,  so 
you  will  just  have  time  to  dress.  You  know  Mr.  Crispin, 
Count  ?  " 

"Yes;  you  must  blame  him  for  my  unpunctuality,"  said 
Caliphronas  gracefully.  "I  walked  over  here,  and  sent  on 
my  luggage  by  your  groom.  In  the  avenue  I  met  Mr.  Crees- 
peen,  and  we  talked  of  old  times." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  73 

"Ah,  you  know  one  another!"  cried  Maurice,  flashing  a 
keen  glance  at  Crispin,  which  that  gentleman  sustained 
without  blenching.  .-,  t  tj 

"  Oh  yes,"  answered  the  poet  calmly  ;  "  I  was  afraid  I  did 
not  know  the  name  of  Count  Caliphronas,  but  my  memory 
played  me  false.  I  know  it  and  him  very  well.  We  met 
at  A.thens." 

"  Three'years  ago,"  continued  the  Count,  laughing.  "  You 
have  no  idea,  Mr.  Maurice,  how  astonished  I  was  to  meet  my 
friend  here.  By  the  way,  you  must  allow  me  to  call  you 
Mr.  Maurice ;  I  make  such  a  mess  of  your  English  names." 
"I  think  you  speak  English  wonderfully  well,  Count. 
Where  did  you  learn,  may  I  ask,  if  it  is  not  a  rude  ques- 
tion ?  " 

"  I  had  an  English  tutor,"  replied  Caliphronas,  stealing  a 
glance  at  Crispin ;  ''  and  I  have  been  accustomed  to  your 
tongue  since  a  lad." 

"Ah,  that  accounts  for  it.  AVell,  come  with  me.  Count, 
and  I  will  show  you  your  room.  Crispin,  Mrs.  Dengelton 
and  her  daughter  are  already  in  the  drawing-room,  so  you 
had  better  make  haste." 

Crispin  went  off  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  Maurice  hospi- 
tably conducted  his  guest  to  the  room  prepared  for  him, 
where  Roylands'  valet  was  already  spreading  out  the  Count's 
evening  dress.  This  duty  having  been  performed,  Mr. 
Eoylands  hurried  away  to  his  guests  in  the  drawing-room, 
and  the  Count  was  left  alone  with  the  valet,  whom  he 
speedily  dismissed. 

"Thank  you;  I  won't  require  anything  else,  he  said, 
when  the  servant  had  arranged  all  his  clothes.  "I  am 
accustomed  to  wait  on  myself.  Dinner  is  in  half  an  hour  ?  " 
"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  valet,  and  retired  quietly. 
The  fact  is,  Caliphronas  had  a  habit  of  thinking  aloud, 
and,  as  he  had  a  good  many  matters  to  consider,  he  was 
afraid  of  committing  himself  if  a  second  person  were  m  the 
room ;  therefore,  having  got  rid  of  the  .servant,  he  began  to 
dress  slowly  for  dinner,  thinking  deeply  all  the  time. 

"I  do  not  think  Creespeen  will  say  anything,"  he  said 
aloud  in  Greek,  as  he  arranged  his  white  tie;  "very  likely 
he  will  help  me,  if  I  can  manage  him.  How  upright  he  is 
now  —  how  very  upright,  and  to  think  "  — 

Here  the  Count  went  into  a  fit  of  silent  laughter,  which 
lasted  until  he  arrived  at  the  door  of  the  drawing-room, 
when  he  controlled  his  risible  muscles,  and  went  ia  gravely 
to  be  introduced  to  the  ladies. 


74  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY, 

CHAPTER   VII. 

SOUVENT     FEMME    VARIE. 

Woman's  a  weathercock, 
Full  of  frivolity. 
Men  may  together  mock 
At  her  heart's  quality. 
But  if  a  heart  she  steals, 
Worth  all  the  smart  she  feels, 
There  then  her  place  is  ; 
Lo,  then  the  nether  rock 
Less  firm  of  base  is. 

Needless  to  say,  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas  was 
much  admired  by  the  two  ladies,  which  was  scarcely  to  be 
wondered  at,  seeing  his  charm  of  manner  was  almost  as 
great  as  his  physical  perfection.  Attracted  in  the  first 
instance  by  his  good  looks,  they  were  quite  prepared  to  find 
the  kernel  of  such  a  handsome  nut  somewhat  disappointing ; 
in  other  words,  they  fancied  that  Nature  could  scarcely  be 
so  profuse  in  her  gifts,  as  to  give  this  man  great  mental 
powers  in  addition  to  his  comely  exterior.  To  their  surprise, 
they  found  the  Greek  to  be  a  charming  conversationalist, 
and  were  much  astonished  at  the  purity  with  which  he  spoke 
the  English  tongue. 

It  would  be  ridiculous  to  say  that  Caliphronas  was  a  man 
of  any  great  intellectual  powers  ;  for,  as  before  stated,  he 
was  gifted  with  more  cunning  than  brains,  still,  such  cun- 
ning enabled  him  to  conceal  his  educational  deficiencies,  and 
by  a  dexterous  use  of  the  little  knowledge  he  possessed,  he 
managed  to  pass  for  a  very  intelligent  man.  Shallow  Cali- 
phronas was,  without  doubt,  and  his  education  in  many  ways 
had  been  wofully  neglected  ;  but  he  had  travelled  a  great 
deal,  he  was  acute  enough  in  picking  up  unconsidered  trifles 
of  general  information,  he  had  plenty  of  small  talk,  so  all 
these  advantages,  in  conjunction  with  his  undeniable  good 
looks  and  ready  wit,  enabled  him  to  fascinate  the  ordinary 
run  of  people.  A  clever  man  or  a  brilliant  woman  would 
have  discovered  the  smallness  of  his  intellectual  powers  at 
once ;  but  every-day  folk  are  not  so  difficult  to  please,  and 
both  Mrs.  Dengelton  and  her  daughter,  being  ordinary  folk, 
gifted  with  ordinary  brains,  found  the  flashy,  frivolous  chat- 
ter of  the  Count  infinitely  charming. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  T5 

Maurice,  having  got  over  his  first  suspicions  of  the  Greek, 
soon  liked  him  extremely,  as  he  was  a  pleasant  companion, 
and  always  in  a  good  humor.  On  the  other  hand,  Crispin, 
who  knew  what  Caliphronas  really  was,  and  how  mean  and 
vile  a  soul  inhabited  that  splendid  body,  was  much  put  to  in 
order  to  conceal  his  distaste  for  the  society  of  this  brilliant 
stranger.  He  saw  through  the  thin  veneer  of  good  manners 
and  facile  accomplishments,  into  the  true  nature  of  the  man, 
and  was  well  aware  that  this  apparently  charming  child  of 
Nature,  all  impulse  and  simplicity,  was  in  reality  a  crafty, 
selfish,  sensual  scoundrel,  whose  only  aim  in  life  was  to 
benefit  himself  at  the  expense  of  others. 

"  If  we  were  only  in  the  Palace  of  Truth  now  ! "  thought 
the  poet,  as  he  sat  silently  watching  the  dexterous  way  m 
which  Caliphronas  was  using  his  small  stock  of  accomplish- 
ments. "  I  wonder  what  they  would  say  were  that  man  com- 
pelled to  give  utterance  to  his  real  thoughts.  They  would 
fly  in  horror  from  him  as  a  vile  thing,  a  beautiful  flower, 
whose  appearance  is  exquisite,  yet  whose  odor  is  death. 
Still,  he  has  improved  wonderfully  since  the  old  days.  I 
w^onder  where  he  picked  up  these  good  manners  —  not  from 
Justinian  or  Alcibiades,  I'll  be  bound;  but  perhaps  he  has 
been  learning  the  art  of  pleasing  from  Helena." 

As  this  thought  came  into  his  mind,  and  he  remembered 
the  charming  woman  who  bore  that  name,  knowing  w^hat 
Caliphronas  was,  he  could  not  restrain  a  shudder,  which 
immediately  drew  the  eyes  of  the  Greek  towards  him. 

"Eh,  my  friend,  Mr.  Creespeen,"  he  said  slowly;  for  Cali- 
phronas, in  spite  of  his  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Eng- 
lish tongue,  picked  up,  heaven  only  knows  where,  could 
never  pronounce  proper  names  without  a  strong  foreign 
accent,  —  "  eh,  my  friend,  you  shudder.  Some  one  is  walk- 
ing over  your  grave." 

"Oh,  what  a  horrible  idea!"  cried  Mrs.  Dengelton  in  her 
liveliest  manner,  for  the  Count's  good  looks  had  made  a  deep 
impression  on  her  elderly  heart.  "  I  declare,  my  dear  Count, 
you  make  me  shudder  also.  It  is  exactly  the  kind  of  thing 
my  brother  Rudolph  would  say.  Ghouls,  vampires,  omens, 
dreams,  and  all  those  grewsome  things,  he  used  to  revel  in. 
Yes,  positively  revel  in.  Never  shall  I  forget  being  told 
how  he  brought  some  lady  friend  a  book  to  read,  called  '  Foot- 
prints on  the  Borders  of  Another  World.'  ,It  nearly  fright- 
ened her  into  convulsions,  and  she  threw  it  out  of  the 
window." 


76  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"My  Uncle  Eudolpli  must  have  been  an  interesting  kind 
of  person,"  said  Maurice  dryly. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  Maurice,  he  was  so  terribly  wild  !  Yes ! 
Why,  in  the  old  days,  he  would  have  been  a  buccaneer  or  a 
pirate  —  it  is  just  the  kind  of  thing  he  would  have  liked  to 
be." 

At  this  last  remark,  Crispin  looked  straight  at  the  Count, 
who  met  his  gaze  with  an  uneasy  laugh,  and  tried  to  turn  the  ^ 
conversation. 

"  This  gentleman,  madam  ?  He  was  very  adventurous,  I 
presume  ?  " 

"  Oh  dear  me,  yes !  Your  uncle,  Eunice,  I  am  speaking 
of  —  your  uncle,  Maurice." 

"Yes,  mamma  —  yes,  aunt,"  said  both  the  cousins  to- 
gether. 

"He  had  a  fiery  eye,  and  was  over  six  feet  in  height.  I 
always  thought  him  the  image  of  the  Templar  in  '  Ivanhoe  ; ' 
but,  of  course,  I  speak  from  hearsay,  as  I  was  a  babe  when 
he  left  England.  Is  there  not  a  portrait  of  him  somewhere, 
Maurice  ?  " 

"It  is  just  behind  you,  aunt,  over  the  piano." 

Both  Caliphronas  and  Crispin  arose  with  a  simultaneous 
movement,  and  strolled  across  the  room  to  look  at  this 
modern  Captain  Kidd,  for  that  style  of  man  he  appeared  to 
have  been,  judging  from  Mrs.  Dengelton's  highly-colored 
description. 

The  portrait  was  a  full-length  one  of  a  handsome  young 
man  in  the  old-fashioned  costume  a  la  d'Orsaij  of  the  early 
Victorian  age,  and  assuredly  he  appeared  to  be  a  dandy  of 
the  first  water.  But  his  strong  commanding  face,  his  eagle 
glance,  firm  mouth,  and  prominent  nose  marked  him  at  once 
as  a  born  leader  of  men.  A  man  who,  in  Elizabethan  times, 
would  have  sailed  the  Spanish  main  and  thrashed  the  Dons ; 
who,  in  later  years,  would  have  delighted  in  Jacobite  con- 
spiracies ;  who  would  have  fought  his  way  to  a  marshal's 
baton  when  Napoleon  led  the  armies  of  France :  in  fact,  one 
of  those  men  who  find  no  outlet  for  their  energies  in  the 
leading-strings  of  civilization,  but  who,  in  a  lawless  life, 
develop  those  qualities  whereof  heroes  are  made.  Maurice 
was  good-looking  enough  in  an  ordinary  fashion,  but  he  had 
none  of  the  power  and  daring  in  his  face,  such  as  showed  so 
conspicuously  in  his  uncle's  countenance. 

The  Count  and  Crispin  remained  looking  at  the  portrait 
an  unconscionably  long  time,  considering  the  original  was 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  77 

unknown  to  them,  and  glanced  meaningly  at  one  another  as 
they  went  back  to  their  seats. 

"  Your  description  is  an  admirable  one,  Mrs.  Dengelton," 
said  Crispin,  as  that  lady  evidently  desired  his  opinion  of 
the  portrait ;  "  the  face  is  that  of  a  man  who  would  be  either 
a  hero  or  a  scoundrel  according  to  circumstances,  but  always 
brave." 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Crispin  !  "  cried  the  lady,  somewhat  scan- 
dalized at  the  epithet  applied  to  a  Roylands. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mrs.  Dengelton  ;  I  am  speaking  of 
the  type  more  than  the  man.  Rudolph  Roy  lands  has  the 
bearing  of  a  born  leader  of  men,  and  I  do  not  wonder  he 
left  England  for  wider  fields.  He  must  have  been  stilled 
in  this  narrow  island." 

"  How  do  you  know  he  left  England  ?  "  asked  the  lady 
sharply. 

"  Why,  your  story  of  last  night "  — 

"  But  you  were  not  here  when  I  told  it.  Ah,  my  dear  Mr. 
Crispin,  I  am  indeed  very  angry  at  you  for  taking  my 
daughter  out  onto  the  terrace.  She  might  have  caught  her 
death  of  cold — but  we  will  not  speak  of  that.  At  all 
events,  you  could  not  have  heard  my  story." 

Crispin  looked  rather  uncomfortable,  as  if  he  feared  he 
had  committed  himself ;  but,  as  Mrs.  Dengelton's  beady  eyes 
were  fastened  shrewdly  on  his  face,  he  had  to  make  some 
answer,  though,  truth  to  tell,  he  did  not  know  what  to  say. 

"Well,  really,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  I  hardly  know  how  to 
reply,"  he  said,  coloring.  "  I  did  not  hear  all  your  story ; 
but,  if  you  remember,  just  before  the  Rector  said  good-night, 
you  talked  about  your  brother  leaving  England." 

"Dear  me,  yes,  so  I  did!"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton,  and 
would  have  liked  to  add  something  anent  the  story  of  the 
photographs,  the  falsehood  of  which  she  had  discovered. 
Maurice,  however,  guessed  how  the  land  lay,  and  feeling 
sorry  for  Crispin,  who  was  really  very  uncomfortable,  made 
the  first  remark  that  came  into  his  head.  Caliphronas,  tired 
of  the  conversation,  had  gone  to  the  piano,  where  Eunice 
was  playing  softly,  and  talked  to  her  in  an  undertone.  This 
attention,  however,  was  not  noticed  by  Crispin,  who  was  too 
busy  trying  to  extricate  himself  from  his  dilemma  with  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  to  think  about  anything  else.  How  he  would 
have  managed  to  evade  the  photograph  question,  which  Mrs. 
Dengelton  was  bent  on  asking,  it  is  difficult  to  say,  but  that 
Maurice  came  to  his  aid  with  the  apparently  irrelevant 
remark,  — 


78  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  My  dear  Crispin,  you  say  that,  judging  from  his  face,  my 
uncle  would  either  be  a  hero  or  a  scoundrel.  Now  what  do 
you  mean  by  that  remark  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  hope  I  haven't  offended  you  by  making  it,"  said 
Crispin,  with  a  grateful  smile,  for  he  saw  through  Roylands' 
stratagem ;  "  but  if  a  man  like  your  uncle  has  such  qualities 
as  he  seems  to  possess,  strongly  developed,  they  are  bound 
to  break  out  in  some  direction.  Place  him  in  the  array,  and 
he  will  be  a  hero  in  time  of  war,  but  supposing  he  was  born 
in  Whitechapel,  I  am  afraid  his  heroic  qualities  would  be 
dangerous  to  society." 

"  Then  you  think  a  hero  and  a  thief  are  composed  of  the 
same  qualities  ?  " 

"I  will  not  say  a  thief,  but  use  the  milder  term,  'adven- 
turer.' If  the  great  Napoleon  had  not  been  an  adventurer 
of  that  quality,  he  would  never  have  mounted  the  throne 
of  France.  Sforza,  the  Duke  of  Milan,  was  of  the  same 
species ;  so  was  William  the  Conqueror,  and  Roger  de 
Hauteville,  King  of  Sicily.  All  these  men,  through  force 
of  circumstances  which  aided  the  development  of  their 
commanding  qualities,  obtained  thrones  —  they  were  adven- 
turers who  became  kings.  On  the  other  hand,  look  at 
Benvenuto  Cellini.  He  had  the  same  instincts  for  fighting, 
commanding,  and  daring,  the  same  longing  for  fame,  riches, 
adventures ;  yet,  to  the  end  of  his  life,  he  was  but  a  quarrel- 
some swashbuckler,  simply  because  his  circumstances  did 
not  permit  his  qualities  developing  in  the  right  direction. 
Cromwell  had  these  qualities  and  mounted  a  throne,  Rienzi 
had  them  and  died  on  the  scaffold  —  all  through  circum- 
stances. Believe  me,  my  dear  Maurice,  whatever  qualities  a 
man  may  possess,  the  development  of  them  in  the  right  or 
the  wrong  direction  depends  on  his  surroundings.  It  is  a 
common  saying  that  genius  can  override  all  obstacles  —  a 
mistake  which  anyone  who  reads  history  can  perceive.  Cir- 
cumstances are  sometimes  too  strong  for  the  greatest  soul, 
and  that  genius  which  should  have  created  empires  dies  in 
obscurity." 

"  Quite  a  historical  lecture,  I  declare,"  tittered  Mrs.  Den- 
gelton,  who  found  this  long  speech  a  trifle  wearisome;  "but, 
how  does  all  this  apply  to  my  brother  ?  " 

"  If  your  brother,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  went  to  South  America, 
he  probably  rose  to  be  president  of  one  of  those  petty  rei)ub- 
lics ;  if  he  went  as  a  free  lance  into  the  service  of  some 
Eastern  potentate,  he  very  likely  ended  his  life  as  a  pasha  of 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  79 

three  tails ;  but  if  he  stayed  in  England,  I  feel  certain  that 
his  violent  temperament,  his  adventurous  longings,  must 
have  brought  him  into  trouble." 

"  I  don't  think  he  stayed  in  England/"'  replied  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton,  shaking  her  head,  "or  we  certainly  would  have  heard 
of  his  death.  Probably  he  is  a  president,  or  a  pasha,  or  some 
of  those  dreadful  things  you  speak  of." 

"  Do  you  think  he  is  dead,  aunt  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  who 
had  been  listening  quietly  to  this  argument. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  I  haven't  heard  of  him  for  years 
and  years  ;  but  the  Roylands  are  always  long-living  people, 
so  perhaps  he  is  still  alive.  It  is  now  fifty  years  since  he 
went  away,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  so  if  he  is  still  alive 
he  must  be  quite  seventy-five  years  of  age." 

''  Seventy-five  years  of  age,"  repeated  Crispin,  and  relapsed 
into  silence. 

^'  Who  is  seventy-five  years  of  age  ?  "  asked  Caliphronas, 
overhearing  the  remark. 

"  My  Uncle  Rudolph,  if  alive,"  said  Maurice  lazily. 

"  Oh,  indeed  !  '^  replied  Caliphronas  carelessly,  but  his 
words  conve^^ed  volumes  as  he  tried  to  catch  the  eye  of 
Crispin.  In  this,  however,  he  was  not  successful,  as  Crispin 
was  wrapt  up  in  a  brown  study,  so  the  Greek  turned  towards 
Eunice  and  asked  her  to  sing  something. 

"I  am  passionately  fond  of  music,"  he  said,  turning  over 
some  songs,  "  and  nothing  so  delights  me  as  to  hear  a 
woman's  voice." 

Eunice  blushed  at  this  compliment  to  her  sex,  and,  not 
knowing  how  to  answer  it,  — for  she  was  still  afflicted  with 
the  shyness  of  the  bread-and-butter  age,  —  took  up  the  first 
song  that  came  to  hand. 

"  Do  you  know  this  song  ?  "  she  said,  placing  the  music 
before  her  —  "  '  The  Star  Sirius  ; '  it  is  the  new  scientific  style 
of  song,  now  all  the  rage." 

"  A  scientific  song,"  repeated  Caliphronas,  rather  puzzled. 

"Yes,  blending  instruction  with  pleasure,"  said  Crispin, 
rousing  himself  out  of  his  revery  and  walking  over  to  the 
piano.  "  The  public  are  tired  of  love-songs,  sea-songs,  sacred 
songs,  comic  songs,  and  sentimentalities  of  all  kinds  ;  so 
some  ingenious  person  has  invented  the  scientific  song.  In 
this  song  astronomy  is  brought  to  the  aid  of  eroticism,  and 
the  result  is  peculiar,  to  say  the  least  of  it.  I  presume  such 
ditties  are  written  for  musically-inclined  Girton  girls.  Shall 
I  play  your  accompaniment,  Miss  Dengelton  ?  " 


80  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  If  you  would  be  so  kind,"  said  Eunice,  vacating  her  seat 
at  the  piano,  which  action  brought  a  frown  to  the  face  of 
her  watchful  mother.     "I  can  sing  better  standing  up." 

Crispin  played  the  prelude  in  sufficiently  good  style,  and 
Caliphronas,  sinking  into  a  chair  near  the  singer,  looked  up 
into  her  face  in  a  somewhat  bold  fashion,  as  she  sang  the 
latest  up-to-date  song  of  the  day. 

THE  STAR  SIRIUS. 


A  glowing  star  of  ardent  ray 
In  midnight  skies  we  trace, 
It  is  a  central  sun,  they  say, 

Enshrined  in  distant  space. 
Around  it  giant  planets  turn, 

In  motion  constant  roll, 
With  fiery  force  its  splendors  bum, 
As  for  thee  burns  my  soul. 
Oh,  star  ascendant  at  my  birth ! 
For  tears,  for  sadness,  or  for  mirth, 
You  rule  my  destiny  on  earth. 

n. 

Oh,  star  of  stars!  in  thee  no  flaw 

The  telescopes  reveal; 
.Thine  orbs  obey  attraction's  law, 

And  round  thy  centre  wheel. 
Beloved,  thou  and  I  are  one, 

Nor  parted  e'er  can  be; 
I  am  thy  planet,  thou  my  sun, 
For  all  eternity. 
Oh,  star  ascendant  at  my  birth ! 
For  tears,  for  sadness,  or  for  mirth, 
You  rule  my  destiny  on  earth. 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Dengelton,"  said  Caliphronas,  when 
the  song  ended  ;  "  I  like  your  singing  much  better  than  the 
words.     They  are  somewhat  perplexing." 

"They  are  up-to-date  words,"  remarked  Crispin  calmly; 
"the  music  is  also  up  to  date,  of  the  most  advanced  school, 
a  blending  of  Dvorak  and  Eubinstein." 

"What  awful  names!"  cried  Caliphronas,  with  a  shudder; 
"  they  grate  on  the  ear." 

"So  does  their  music  in  some  cases;  there  is  nothing  like 
consistency.  Still,  some  of  the  advanced  school  of  music's 
efforts  are  delightfuL  This  dance  of  Dvorak's,  for  in- 
stance." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  81 

Bringing  down  Lis  hands  on  the  keys  with  a  crash,  he 
played  one  of  those  weird  gypsy  dances  of  the  Bohemian 
musician,  which  thrill  the  listener  with  their  wild  capricious- 
ness,  and  conjure  up  pictures  of  a  mode  of  life  quite  alien 
to  our  prosaic  respectability.  That  strange  chord  resounds 
loudly  through  the  room,  and  at  once  we  see  the  wild  horses 
flying  across  the  illimitable  gray  plain,  the  fierce  voices  of 
their  gypsy  riders  pealing  up  to  the  sombre  sky  of  midnight. 
That  rapid  medley  of  sounds,  and  lo  !  the  tires  burn  redly 
under  the  trees,  while  round  them  bound  tawny  women  with 
flashing  eyes,  tossing  their  arms  and  clashing  their  tam- 
bourines to  the  wild  rhythm  of  the  music.  Death  on  the 
cards,  love  in  the  stars,  and  the  muttered  prophecies  of 
crouching  hags,  terrified  at  the  omen  of  flying  bat,  of  shriek- 
ing night-bird.  Another  whirl  of  glittering  notes  scatter 
themselves  through  the  air,  crash,  crash,  crash,  chord  upon 
chord  sounds  fiercely,  wdth  intervals  of  sparkling  chromatic 
runs  like  the  falling  of  broken  spray,  and  then  one  final 
chord,  bringing  the  red  of  the  dawn,  the  chill  winds  of  morn- 
ing, and  the  uprising  of  the  cheerful  sun. 

"  Wonderful ! "  cried  INIrs.  Dengelton,  who  knew  nothing 
about  music,  but  admired  Dvorak  because  he  was  the  fashion, 
and  not  intelligil)le  to  the  ordinary  mind. 

"  So  fantastic,"  added  Eunice,  whose  accomplishments  did 
not  soar  above  the  mild  singing  of  a  mild  drawing-room 
ballad,  such  as  "  Daddy's  Dancing,"  or  "  Oh,  if  to  thee  my 
heart  is  Welcome  !  " 

"Well,  for  my  part,"  said  the  Count,  shrugging  his  shoul- 
ders, "I  think  your  new  music  is  horrible." 

"  Ah,  it  does  not  appeal  to  your  Hellenic  spirit,"  replied 
Crispin  carelessly.  "  Mephistopheles  felt  out  of  place  at  the 
classical  Walpurgis  Night,  so  you,  my  dear  Caliphronas,  feel 
equally  at  sea  among  this  diablerie  of  a  Northern  composer, 
so  suggestive  of  the  festival  on  the  Brocken." 

"I  don't  know  what  you  are  taking  about,"  said  the  Count 
uneasily,  having  a  vague  idea  he  was  being  laughed  at. 

"  Of  course  you  don't,"  replied  Crispin  coolly.  "  You 
have  never  read  '  Faust,'  either  the  first  or  the  second 
part." 

Caliphronas  knew  that  Crispin  did  not  like  him,  and,  think- 
ing he  wanted  to  ridicule  him  in  the  presence  of  the  ladies, 
would  have  made  some  angry  answer,  but  that  Eunice,  quite 
unaware  of  this  storm  in  a  teacup,  asked  him  to  sing  a  Greek 
song. 


82  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Yes,  do,  dear  Count ! ''  said  Mrs.  Dengelton  gushingly. 
"  I  do  so  love  foreign  songs  !     They  go  to  the  soul." 

'^  And  the  soul  —  at  least  the  English  soul  —  does  not 
understand  them,"  observed  Maurice,  with  a  yawn,  for  he 
was  growing  somewhat  tired  of  this  musical  discussion. 

'•  If  the  song  is  in  Italian,  French,  or  German,  I  can  cer- 
tainly understand  it,"  said  the  lad}^,  with  dignity ;  "  but 
Greek  I  can  hardly  be  expected  to  know." 

"  I  do  not  think  3'ou  would  care  much  for  the  words  if  you 
did  understand  modern  Greek,"  remarked  Crispin  with  a 
smile.  "The  sonorous  tongue  of  Hellas  invests  the  most 
commonplace  poems  with  a  dignity  and  a  charm  which  they 
would  lose  if  translated.  Come,  Count,  and  sing  that  love- 
song  you  used  to  be  so  fond  of  in  Athens." 

"  Athens ! "  repeated  the  Count,  with  a  significant  smile,  as 
he  rose  to  comply  with  this  request. 

"  Yes,  Athens  !"  repeated  Crispin,  with  emphasis.  "  I  was 
accustomed  to  play  your  accompaniment.  How  does  it 
go?" 

He  began  playing  a  simple  melody,  which,  wild  though  it 
was,  sounded  quite  poverty-stricken  after  the  wealth  of  har- 
monies which  had  so  distinguished  the  music  of  Dvorak. 
Caliphronas  watched  the  player's  fingers  for  a  little  time, 
and  then  began  to  sing  in  an  uncommonly  fine  tenor  voice, 
though  of  course  somewhat  rough  for  want  of  training. 
What  he  lacked  in  delicacy,  however,  he  made  up  in  force 
and  fire  ;  and  the  wonderful  language  he  sang  in  also  assisted 
him  greatly,  though,  as  regards  the  song  itself,  neither  mel- 
ody nor  words  were  particularly  striking. 

Daphne,  this  summer  night  is  full  of  singing; 

I  hear  my  comrades  sigh  at  the  windows  of  those  they  worship; 

The  windows  are  open,  but  thy  lattice  is  closed. 

"  Love!"  calls  the  lover  to  his  beloved. 

*'  Love!  "  answers  the  beloved  with  smiling  lip. 

But  from  your  window  you  call  not  "  Love!" 

Wherefore  the  night  is  empty  of  singing  to  me: 

Lean  from  your  lattice,  capricious  one. 

And  I  will  sing  the  strain  of  the  nightingale  to  the  rose. 

Yes!  you  have  heard  me:  you  open  your  window, 

I  can  see  the  silver  daggers  gleam  in  your  hair; 

And  you  throw  me  a  rose,  which  sighs  "  I  love  thee." 

Ah,  you  have  spoken  to  the  rose,  and  the  message  is  told. 

Good-night,  my  Daphne,  sleep  with  the  sound  of  my  voice  in  thine 

ears; 
But  for  me  there  is  no  slumber, 

For  all  night  will  I  demand  of  the  rose  your  message, 
And  the  rose  will  reply,  "  I  love  thee!  I  love  thee!" 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  83 

"Thank  you  so  much,"  said  Eunice,  coming  over  to  the 
piano.  "  I  do  not  know  what  it  means,  but  it  sounds  won- 
derfully charming." 

"  It  is  a  love-song." 

"  I  wish  I  had  a  translation  of  it." 

''I  will  translate  it  if  you  wish,  Miss  Dengelton,"  said 
Crispin,  by  no  means  relishing  the  attention  which  Eunice 
was  paying  to  the  Greek. 

'•'  What !  do  you  know  Greek  ?  " 

"  ^lodern  Greek ;  yes.  I  have  been  in  Greece  a  great 
deal." 

"  A  great  deal,"  echoed  Caliphronas,  with  an  evil  smile. 

Crispin  faced  round  abruptly,  and  was  about  to  say  some- 
thing in  an  undertone,  but,  after  a  moment's  deliberation, 
turned  slowly  away.  The  Count  looked  after  him  with  a 
smiling  face,  and  then  devoted  himself  to  Eunice,  who  was 
by  no  means  averse  to  receiving  his  attentions. 

Now,  Eunice  must  not  be  misjudged.  It  is  true  that  she 
felt  flattered  by  the  attentions  of  such  a  strikingly  hand- 
some man  as  Caliphronas  ;  but  she  was  not,  as  Crispin  in  his 
jealousy  thought,  attracted  in  any  marked  degree  by  this 
stranger.  In  fact,  she  w^as  playing  a  little  comedy  for  the 
blinding  of  her  lynx-eyed  mother  ;  for,  afraid  lest  that  lady 
should  discover  that  she  was  secretly  engaged  to  Crispin, 
with  the  instinctive  craft  of  womankind,  Eunice  pretended 
to  be  more  taken  up  with  the  Greek  than  with  the  poet. 
By  following  this  course,  she  thought  her  mother's  mind 
would  be  set  at  rest  concerning  the  rivalry  of  Crispin  with 
Maurice.  Alas  !  the  plan  was  a  good  one,  and  excellently 
well  carried  out ;  but  such  diplomacy  met  with  but  an  ill 
reward,  as  in  avoiding  Charybdis  she  fell  into  the  clutches 
of  Scylla ;  for,  in  place  of  an  angry  mother,  she  had  to  put 
up  with  an  angry  lover. 

Crispin  was  puzzled  to  account  for  her  sudden  desertion 
^^f  him  and  this  marked  attention  to  Caliphronas,  so  at  once 
with  masculine  stupidity,  deemed  that  the  outward  graces  of 
the  Count  had  rendered  her  false  to  him.  Had  Crispin  been 
fortunate  enough  to  possess  a  female  friend  to  whom  he 
could  have  talked  on  such  a  serious  matter,  his  suspicions 
would  speedily  have  been  lulled  to  rest ;  for  no  one  but  a 
woman  can  understand  a  woman,  and,  as  Crispin  was  of  the 
masculine  gender,  he  therefore  failed  to  grasp  the  situation. 
Eunice  chatted  gayly  with  Caliphronas,  smiled  on  him,  sang 
songs  to  him,  and  quite  neglected  poor  Crispin,  who   grew 


84  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

towards  the  end  of  the  night  almost  as  melancholy  as 
Maurice,  in  his  despair  at  such  unlooked-for  behavior  on 
the  part  of  the  girl  he  loved. 

As  to  Caliphronas,  that  gentleman,  who  possessed  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  vanity,  and  an  overweening  sense  of  his 
own  perfections,  saw  nothing  in  the  conduct  of  Miss  Dengel- 
ton  otherwise  than  what  should  be.  He  was  so  accustomed 
to  be  petted  and  made  much  of  by  women,  that  it  became  a 
matter  of  habit  with  him,  and  he  would  have  been  consider- 
ably astonished  had  Eunice  acted  otherwise  than  she, did. 
At  the  same  time,  he  was  secretly  very  pleased  at  making 
an  impression  in  this  quarter,  as  he  saw  at  once  from  inter- 
cepted glances  that  the  poet  was  violently  enamoured  of 
this  fair  English  maiden.  Caliphronas  hated  Crispin  with 
all  the  strong  venomosity  of  a  little  soul,  and  if  he  could  do 
him  an  ill  turn  would  certainly  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity. Thinking  Eunice  had  succumbed  to  his  fascina- 
tions, he  was  quite  prepared  to  take  advantage  of  his  con- 
quest, and  deprive  the  poet  of  his  ewe  lamb,  the  more  so  as 
Crispin's  ill-concealed  jealousy  added  considerably  to  the 
charm  of  the  flirtation.  Poor  Eunice,  who  never  thought  her 
motives  would  be  misconstrued  by  her  jealous  lover,  was 
quite  astonished  when  he  permitted  Caliphronas  to  present 
her  with  her  bedroom  candle,  and  wished  her  a  frosty  good- 
night. She  would  have  liked  to  obtain  an  ex})lanation, 
but  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  at  her  heels,  so  she  was  obliged 
to  retire  to  bed,  considerably  disconcerted  over  the  strange 
behavior  of  this  stupidly -jealous  poet. 

Caliphronas  also  went  to  bed  very  shortly,  as  he  did  not 
smoke,  and,  alleging  that  it  was  his  custom  to  retire  early 
and  rise  early,  went  off  to  his  room,  leaving  Crispin  alone 
with  Maurice.  As  soon  as  they  were  by  themselves,  Crispin 
turned  at  once  to  his  friend. 

"  Did  you  see  Eunice  to-night  ?  '^ 

Maurice  leisurely  filled  his  pipe. 

"  Yes ;  I  saw  her.  You  are  jealous  of  our  friend  Cali- 
phronas." 

"  Well,  I  certainly  think  Eunice  gave  me  good  cause  to  be. 
What  is  the  reason  of  this  sudden  change  ?  " 

E-oylands  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  lighted  his  pipe. 

"  I  don't  know  ;  unless  Francis  I.  was  right,"  he  said 
calmly,  —  "  '  Souvent  femme  varied  " 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  85 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

EXDYMION. 

Oh,  goddess  wise, 

Disdainful  of  the  sultry  sun, 

Thou  waitest  till  his  course  is  run 

Then  stealing  where  Endymion 

In  sluuiher  lies, 

With  am'rous  sighs 

Awake  him  in  that  secret  nest, 

All  drowsy  with  enchanted  rest, 

To  lie  upon  thy  silver  breast ; 

While  daylight  dies. 

In  western  skies. 

And  shyly  peering  one  by  one. 

The  stars  gaze  on  that  meeting  blest. 

For  the  next  week  or  so  life  passed  very  agreeably  at  the 
Grange,  and  its  inmates,  becoming  habituated  to  one  an- 
other's society,  settled  down  into  a  lotus-eating  existence, 
which,  if  not  a  useful  one,  was  at  least  infinitely  charming. 
Caliphronas  played  his  part  in  this  country  house  comedy  in 
the  most  admirable  manner,  and,  owing  to  his  good  looks,  his 
good  manners,  and  his  good  temper,  soon  established  himself 
as  a  universal  favorite.  This  splendid  flower  of  humanity 
which  had  bloomed  to  such  beauty  under  the  serene  skies  of 
the  East  fascinated  Maurice  greatly,  and  he  took  a  genuine 
pleasure  in  modelling  the  End^anion  from  the  Count;  though 
at  times,  in  spite  of  his.  artistic  capabilities,  he  almost  de- 
spaired of  being  able  to  mould  the  soft  clay  into  a  perfect 
representation  of  this  virile  perfection.  At  the  same  time 
the  intercourse  between  the  sculptor  and  his  model  was  very 
pleasant,  as  Caliphronas  was  a  most  delightful  companion, 
and  told  stories  of  his  adventures  in  a  manner  worthy  of 
Ulysses  or  Munchausen.  Yet,  though  he  seemed  to  grow 
quite  confidential  over  his  past  life,  he  nevertheless  withheld 
many  episodes  which  might  have  prejudiced  his  host  against 
him.  Maurice,  w^ho  was  simple  in  many  ways,  despite  his 
ten  years'  experience  of  Bohemia,  thought  Caliphronas  was 
laying  bare  his  whole  soul,  whereas  the  wily  Greek  only  re- 
vealed the  best  side  of  that  very  complex  article.  This  set- 
ting forth  of  his  moral  excellences  was  of  course  in  keeping 
with  the  impression  he  was  anxious  to  produce,  and  he  thus 
made  himself  very  agreeable  to  Maurice,  who  took  the  Count 


86  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

for  what  he  represented  himself  to  be,  not  for  what  he 
really  was. 

Caliphronas  was  an  excellent  conversationalist,  and  dur- 
ing the  sittings  beguiled  the  time  with  many  stories  of  his 
countrymen,  and  not  infrequently  of  his  countrywomen,  for 
this  Apollo  had  achieved  many  conquests  in  the  fields  of 
Venus,  and  seemed  very  proud  of  his  prowess  during  some 
charming  campaigns.  Probably  most  of  his  stories  were  ex- 
aggerations, and  at  times  even  simple  Maurice  doubted  their 
truth,  but  so  gracefully  were  these  lies  told  that  they  sounded 
as  delightful  as  the  tales  of  Boccaccio.  The  Count,  with 
considerable  imaginative  power,  supplied  to  his  host  a  charm- 
ing history  of  himself  and  his  early  life,  which  was  more  or 
less  fictitious ;  but,  of  course,  his  listener  never  dreamed 
that  a  man  could  string  together  such  a  quantity  of  consist- 
ent lies,  and  therefore  believed  those  romances  worthy  of 
Dumas  the  Elder.  Maurice  was  no  fool,  but  his  own  nature 
was  so  simple  and  honorable,  that  he  thought  every  one  else 
was  like  himself,  and  at  the  worst  only  deemed  that  these 
histories  were  perhaps  highly  colored,  but  true  in  the  main. 

Meanwhile,  Eunice  had  demanded  at  the  most  convenient 
opportunity  an  explanation  from  Crispin,  regarding  his  in- 
explicable behavior  on  that  first  night  of  the  Greek's  visit, 
and  had  received  one  which  considerably  startled  her,  as  it 
plainly  showed  that  Crispin  was  disposed  to  be  jealous.  This 
rather  pleased  Eunice,  as  no  woman  cares  about  a  meek  lover, 
and  the  more  jealousy  a  man  displays,  the  more  his  beloved 
feels  complimented  at  the  power  she  exercises  over  his 
affections.  However,  the  situation  between  her  and  Crispin 
being  somewhat  strained,  Eunice,  deeming  honesty  to  be  the 
best  policy,  confessed  all  about  her  little  scheme  of  mislead- 
ing Mrs.  Dengelton  regarding  the  true  position  of  affairs. 
On  learning  the  truth,  Crispin  felt  very  much  ashamed  of  his 
groundless  suspicions,  and  apologized  profusely  for  having 
doubted  his  intended,  whereat,  being  satisfied  with  this  hum- 
bling of  the  proud,  she  took  him  into  favor  again,  so  the 
course  of  true  love  once  more  ran  smooth. 

Notwithstanding  the  unpleasantness  of  such  a  thing, 
Crispin  rather  approved  of  Eunice  treating  him  with  cold- 
ness in  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Dengelton,  as  it  would  probably 
lull  the  suspicions  of  that  lady,  but  he  was  not  so  sure  about 
his  intended  accepting  the  very  pointed  attentions  of  Cali- 
phronas. Crispin  knew  the  Greek  thoroughly.  Eunice  was 
absolutely  ignorant  of  his  real  character ;  but  as,  owing  to 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  87 

his  being  behind  the  scenes,  he  could  make  Caliphronas  to  a 
certain  extent  do  what  he  desired,  he  hinted  very  plainly  to 
this  Hellenic  Don  Juan  that  his  attentions  were  unwelcome 
to  Miss  Dengelton,  and  that  he  was  to  give  up  the  role  he 
had  elected  to  play.  At  first  the  Count  was  disposed  to 
rebel  against  this  fiat,  which  put  an  end  to  a  very  pleasant 
flirtation,  but  as  he  really  did  not  care  about  Eunice,  and 
moreover  Crispin  was  too  dangerous  to  be  provoked  lightly, 
he  made  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  ceased  to  overwlielm  the 
shy  English  girl  with  his  florid  compliments.  At  the  same 
time  he  promised  himself  to  be  revenged  on  Crispin  at  the 
first  opportunity,  and  Crispin,  knowing  this,  could  not  help 
feeling  a  trifle  uneasy,  for  it  was  a  difficult  matter  to  fight 
with  an  absolutely  unscrupulous  scoundrel  like  the  Count, 
whose  laws  were  neither  those  of  God  nor  man,  but  of  his 
own  making.  However,  Crispin's  knowledge  of  his  errand 
to  Roylands  proved  an  effective  weapon,  and  he  was  satis- 
fied that  the  Greek  would  do  nothing  to  jeopardize  the  suc- 
cess of  his  mission,  even  though  his  vanity  demanded  some 
revenge  for  being  thus  slighted. 

Of  course,  Mrs.  Dengelton  still  contemplated  a  match 
between  her  daughter  and  nephew,  but  Maurice  evaded  her 
hints  with  great  dexterity,  yet  at  the  same  time,  to  protect 
Crispin  from  a  less  complaisant  rival,  made  such  pointed 
remarks  about  the  necessity  of  marriage  as  led  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton to  believe  that  he  seriously  contemplated  entering  into 
the  matrimonial  state.  Never  was  the  good  lady  so  puzzled 
in  her  life,  for  she  could  not  make  up  her  mind  as  to  what 
Maurice  really  meant,  with  his  blowing  hot  one  day  and  cold 
the  next,  but,  being  a  great  believer  in  the  efficacy  of  time, 
deemed  it  the  wisest  plan  to  wait  the  development  of  events, 
and  in  order  to  watch  the  same  kept  her  beady  eyes  wide 
open.  Owing  to  the  neglectful  manner  in  which  Eunice  had 
lately  treated  Crispin,  she  apprehended  no  danger  from  that 
quarter,  and,  as  Maurice  was  very  attentive  to  his  cousin, 
the  Hon.  Mrs.  Dengelton  felt  sure  that  in  the  end  she  would 
obtain  her  heart's  desire,  and  install  Eunice  as  mistress  of 
Roylands  Grange. 

The  Rector  sometimes  came  over  to  the  Grange,  and  was 
friendly  with  every  one  saving  Caliphronas,  as  for  some  inex- 
plicable reason  he  professed  to  heartily  dislike  that  brilliant 
gentleman.  It  was  certainly  a  kind  of  Dr.  Fell-ish  aversion, 
of  which  Mr.  Carriston  felt  rather  ashamed,  as  he  could  give 
no  plausible  reason  for  such  distrust.     In  reply  to  a  question 


88  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

of  Maurice's  he  simply  said  that,  much  as  he  admired  the 
physical  beauty  of  the  Greek,  he  was  by  no  means  sure  that 
his  soul  corresponded  to  the  perfection  of  the  body.  Indeed, 
on  one  occasion,  while  Mrs.  Dengelton  was  eulogizing  the 
charms  of  Caliphronas  from  a  feminine  point  of  view,  the 
Kector  pointedly  quoted  that  line  from  the  Odyssey  which 
says,  —  "  Faultlessly  fair  bodies  are  not  always  the  temples 
of  a  godlike  soul ;  "  but  as  this  remark  was  made  in  Homeric 
Greek,  the  significance  of  it  was  lost  upon  the  lady.  It  may 
be  that  some  subtle  instinct  warned  him  against  this  man, 
whose  evil  nature  was  concealed  under  the  semblance  of 
good ;  but  at  all  events  the  Kector  was  always  on  his  guard 
against  the  Count,  and  delicately  warned  Maurice  against 
trusting  him  too  far.  Evidently  Mr.  Carriston  had  studied 
the  character  of  Ulysses  to  no  small  purpose,  and  found  in 
Caliphronas  a  reproduction,  body,  brain,  and  soul,  of  the  most 
crafty  of  the  Greeks. 

Kegarding  the  outward  appearance  of  Caliphronas,  the 
Kector  was  too  deeply  steeped  in  the  serene  literature  of 
Hellas  to  be  unimpressed  with  the  physical  splendor  of  the 
man.  Making  allowances  for  the  subduing  influence  of 
modern  clothing,  which  detracts  from  the  most  perfect 
beauty  either  in  man  or  woman,  Mr.  Carriston  at  times,  see- 
ing Caliphronas  in  the  dazzling  sunlight,  thought  he  beheld, 
as  in  a  vision,  the  phantom  of  some  joyous  Hellenic  divinity 
untouched  by  sorrow  or  care.  This  man,  gifted  with  excep- 
tional beauty,  might  have  been  Hylas,  Hyacinth,  or  Theoxe- 
nos,  and  strayed  by  chance  from  some  unknown  Arcadian 
vale  into  the  rush  and  turmoil  of  the  modern  world,  with  its 
worship  of  money  and  position,  so  pJien  to  the  adoration  of 
Beauty  and  Genius  which  formed  the  cult  of  antique  Hellas. 
In  truth,  Caliphronas  was  out  of  place  in  England  ;  —  our 
gray  rainy  skies,  smoky  air,  stifling  cities,  and  domesticated 
Nature,  formed  but  a  dark  background  for  this  strongly 
vitalized  being,  tingling  from  head  to  foot  with  the  health- 
fulness  of  wild  life.  He  should  have  dwelt  in  the  burning 
south,  beside  the  tideless  ripples  of  serene  seas,  under  the 
cloudless  blue  of  Attic  skies,  with  the  silver-gray  olives,  the 
shining  temples  of  the  gods,  and  headland,  mountain  peak, 
and  island  melting  into  phantom  forms  of  aerial  grace  far 
beyond  the  expanse  of  the  laughing  ocean.  He  was  an 
anachronism  in  this  nineteenth  century,  the  physical  survivor 
of  Hellas  as  Keats  was  the  mental  survivor  —  one  had  the 
body  of  Alcibiades,  the  other  the  brain  of  Theocritus,  and 
both  were  equally  alien  to  the  modern  world. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  89 

Well  was  it  for  the  Rector  that  he  could  see  only  the  splen- 
did casket,  and  not  the  soul  contained  therein,  for,  in  spite  of 
his  instinctive  distrust,  the  fancy  he  had  that  this  Count  was 
not  to  be  trusted  fell  far  below  the  actual  moral  degradation 
of  the  man.  Caliphronas  was  as  vain  as  a  peacock,  absolutely 
ignorant  of  the  morality  of  right  or  wrong,  lazy  in  every 
way  save  what  touched  his  own  desires,  and  crafty  as  a 
fox.  Crispin  could  have  pointed  out  to  the  Rector  all  these 
flaws,  but  Crispin  had  promised  to  hold  his  peace  so  long  as 
Caliphronas  abstained  from  actual  harm ;  therefore  he  re- 
mained quiescent,  and  only  reminded  the  Greek  now  and 
then  that  there  was  a  watchful  eye  on  his  doings. 

Maurice  believed  in  the  Greek,  the  Rector  doubted  him, 
and  Crispin  knew  his  worthlessness  thoroughly,  so  among 
the  three  of  them  the  character  of  Caliphronas  was  pretty 
well  analyzed.  From  Maurice,  the  steady,  respectable  Eng- 
lishman, with  occasional  lapses  of  artistic  wildness,  to  Cali- 
phronas, the  brilliant  cosmopolitan  adventurer,  was  a  long 
step.  Crispin  stood  midway  between  the  two,  as  he  had  a 
certain  amount  of  British  phlegmatism,  with  at  times  those 
wild  impulses  which  come  from  a  wandering  life  and  an  in- 
tellectual nature.  Still,  he  could  control  his  spontaneity, 
while  Caliphronas,  obeying  his  own  undisciplined  mind,  did 
whatever  came  into  his  head ;  yet,  if  any  one  was  scandalized 
by  such  unconventionality,  he  would  at  once  obtain  forgive- 
ness by  the  graceful  way  in  which  he  apologized. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  be  angry  with  you,"  said  Maurice  to 
him  one  day,  when  the  Count  had  been  guilty  of  some  ridicu- 
lous escapade,  "  and  yet  you  deserve  to  be  sharply  spoken  to. 
But  you  are  a  child  in  many  ways,  and  we  cannot  be  angry 
with  a  child." 

"There  you  are  right,  my  dear  Mr.  Maurice,"  replied 
Caliphronas,  smiling.  "  I  am  a  child,  but  that  is  as  much  as 
to  say,  I  am  a  Greek.  You  remember  what  the  Egyptian 
priest  said  to  Solon,  — '  You  Greeks  are  always  children.' 
Therefore,  if  I  am  a  child,  and  act  impulsively  like  a  child, 
blame  my  nationality,  not  myself." 

"  I  expect  you  could  be  a  very  bad  child  if  you  wanted 
to ! "  said  Crispin,  overhearing  this  defence. 

Caliphronas  darted  a  spiteful  look  at  the  speaker. 

"  Very  likely,"  he  replied  in  a  meaning  tone  ;  "  but  those 
who  dread  stings  should  not  disturb  the  wasps'  nest." 

There  was  a  distinct  menace  in  his  tone,  but  Crispin  felt 
too  confident  of  having  the  upper  hand  to  take  much  notice 


90  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

of  this  venom,  and  merely  laughed,  much  to  the  wrath  of  the 
Greek.  However,  as  the  time  was  not  yet  ripe  for  action, 
he  restrained  his  anger,  and  behaved  so  amiably  to  Crispin 
tliat  it  was  only  the  knowledge  the  poet  possessed  of  his  true 
character  that  made  him  mistrust  the  suave  smiles  and  kindly 
actions  of  this  Greek  Machiavelli. 

Caliphronas  was  an  amphibious  creature,  and  lived  quite 
as  much  in  the  water  as  on  the  shore.  Whenever  he  had  the 
time  to  spare,  he  went  off  to  Brasdimir  for  a  dip  in  the  sea, 
and  would  plunge  and  wallow  in  the  water  like  a  dolphin. 
Fortunately  that  summer  at  Eoylands  was  unusually  hot, 
and  what  with  the  cloudless  skies,  the  burning  sun,  and  the 
delicate  emerald  tints  of  foliage,  grass,  and  herb,  Caliphronas 
might  well  have  imagined  that  he  was  still  in  his  beloved 
Greece,  bathing  off  some  pebbly  beach  of  the  ^gean. 

Brasdimir  was  a  somewhat  peculiar  place,  and  was  in 
reality  an  arm  of  the  sea  {bras  cle  mer)  which  ran  up  like  a 
long  tongue  into  the  land,  where  it  met  the  waters  of  the 
E,oy  river.  In  olden  times,  Eoylands,  which  was  its  Norman- 
French  name,  had  been  the  property  of  the  crown,  and  had 
been  used  by  the  Plantagenets  for  their  favorite  pastime  of 
hunting.  Henry  II.  bestowed  it  on  one  of  his  barons  who  was 
strongly  suspected  of  being  a  son  of  the  king,  but  who  on 
receiving  this  royal  gift  dropped  his  former  name  of  Fitzroy 
and  took  that  of  Roylands.  It  was  certainly  a  splendid  prop- 
erty, and  through  all  the  turbulence  of  succeeding  reigns 
the  descendants  of  the  first  Eoylands  had  succeeded  in  keep- 
ing their  hold  on  these  rich  acres  ;  so  it  was  very  little  dimin- 
ished in  size  from  the  time  of  its  bestowal  on  Fitzroy. 
Brasdimir,  which  was  a  kind  of  estuary,  ran  about  half  a 
mile  up  into  the  estate,  and  into  it  flowed  the  little  river 
Eoy,  which  was  a  placid  stream  of  no  great  beauty.  All 
round  Brasdimir  lay  fat  meadows  containing  some  of  the 
finest  land  in  the  country,  and  clumps  of  beech  and  elm  and 
oak,  remnants  of  the  old  hunting-forest  of  Plantagenet  kings, 
dotted  their  broad  expanse  of  daisied  sward. 

Near  the  upper  part  of  Brasdimir,  where  it  met  the  waters 
of  the  Eoy  and  blended  salt  with  fresh,  stood  a  quincunx  of 
noble  oaks  which  grew  close  to  the  bank.  From  thence  the 
smooth  turf  of  the  meadow  sloped  down  to  the  turbulent 
waters,  and  it  was  here  that  Caliphronas  came  to  bathe,  not 
only  every  morning,  but  often  three  times  a  day.  Being  in 
the  middle  of  the  estate,  Brasdimir  was  far  away  from  all 
human  habitation,  and  might  have  been  the  navel  of  some 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  91 

great  wilderness,  so  lonely  it  was.  The  Greek  loved  this 
blending  of  fresh  and  salt  water,  as  the  softness  of  the  one 
assuaged  the  harshness  of  the  other,  and  under  the  hot  sun 
would  frequently  cool  himself  in  this  unique  pool,  which  was 
neitlier  river  nor  stream,  but  a  mixture  of  both. 

Very  often  Crispin  and  Maurice  would  come  with  him  for 
a  morning  dip  just  before  sunrise,  and  then  walk  back  to  the 
Grange  with  a  tremendous  appetite  for  breakfast. 

One  morning  they  set  out  for  their  usual  walk,  just  as  the 
east  was  flushing  redly  with  the  dawn,  and  the  chill  morning 
air  nipped  them  keenly  as  they  strolled  along  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Brasdimir.  That  is  to  say,  the  poet  and  the  sculptor 
strolled,  for  Caliphronas  simply  danced  along,  as  if  to  rid 
himself  of  his  superabundant  energy.  Across  the  dewy 
meadows  he  bounded  fawn-like,  singing  as  gayly  as  the  lark 
already  saluting  the  sun  in  the  fresh  blue  sky.  Like  some 
wild  being  of  the  woods,  he  leaped  here  and  there  from  very 
light-hearted ness,  with  his  head  bare  and  his  arms  tossing  in 
the  air.  A  number  of  horses  pasturing  in  the  held  rushed 
away  at  his  approach,  nor,  though  he  called  them  loudly, 
did  they  pause  in  their  wild  career. 

"  What  a  child  he  is  ! "  said  Maurice,  watching  the  grace- 
ful figure  of  the  Greek  bounding  lightly  towards  the  water. 

"Yes,  a  nice  child  truly,"  sneered  Crispin,  w^ith  strong 
disfavor. 

"  You  don't  seem  to  like  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  Well,  no,  I  cannot  say  I  do.  As  an  acquaintance  he  is 
all  very  well,  but  as  a  friend  "  —  Here  Crispin  shrugged  his 
shoulders  in  lieu  of  words. 

"  I  suppose  all  he  says  about  himself  is  true  ?  " 

"1  suppose  so,"  replied  the  poet  curtly. 

"  Do  you  think  he  will  stay  long  down  here  ?  I  hope  he 
will  not  go  away  before  I  finish  modelling  my  Endymion." 

"  I  think  you  can  safely  depend  on  his  staying  till  then," 
rejoined  Crispin  significantly,  and  the  conversation  ended  — 
a  conversation  which  left  an  odd  feeling  of  discomfort  in  the 
mind  of  Maurice,  which  —  why  he  could  not  tell  —  seemed  to 
revive  his  old  distrust  of  this  fascinating  Greek.  He  would 
have  questioned  Crispin  further,  but  as  they  were  now  on  the 
edge  of  the  bank,  and  Caliphronas  was  within  hearing,  he 
had  no  opportunity  of  so  doing,  therefore  put  off  such  ex- 
amination till  a  more  convenient  season. 

Caliphronas  was  already  in  the  water,  swimming  like  a 
fish,  and  indeed  he  was  as  much  at  home  there  as  on  the  land. 


92  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

The  two  gentlemen  undressed  leisurely  on  the  bank,  Maurice 
making  fun  of  the  Greek  as  he  revelled  in  his  favorite 
element. 

"  You  had  better  beware,  Caliphronas,  as  the  nymphs 
might  take  a  fancy  to  you  as  they  did  to  Hylas." 

"Kiver  nymphs,  sea  nymphs,  I  do  not  mind  in  the  least ! " 
cried  the  Greek  gayly  ;  "  ladies  are  always  charming,  whether 
they  have  tails  or  limbs." 

At  this  moment  he  reached  the  opposite  bank  and  climbed 
on  the  fallen  trunk  of  a  tree.  As  he  stood  there  with  his 
arms  raised  above  his  head,  the  first  yellow  ray  of  the  sun 
flashed  on  his  white  body  and  enveloped  him  in  glory,  as 
though  he  were  indeed  a  stray  Olympian.  Then,  with  a 
shout  of  glee,  he  shot  downward  like  an  arrow,  cleaving  the 
blue  water  with  a  dash  of  snowy  spray,  which  sprang  up- 
wards glittering  like  diamonds  in  the  yellow  sunlight.  By 
this  time  Maurice  and  his  friend  were  also  enjoying  their 
bath  in  the  cool  element,  and  the  three  rollicked  about  like 
schoolboys.  Crispin  swam  down  the  estuary  in  the  direction 
of  the  sea  with  Maurice,  and  soon  the  surface  of  the  water 
roughened  by  the  wind  began  to  dash  salt  spray  in  their 
faces.  Caliphronas  stayed  where  he  was,  amusing  himself 
with  fancy  strokes,  but  after  a  time  he  became  tired,  and 
when  the  others  came  back,  breathless  with  their  long  swim, 
they  found  the  Count  standing  on  the  bank  drying  himself. 

As  they  also  were  tired,  they  also  sought  the  bank,  but  at 
this  moment  one  of  the  horses,  a  powerful  black  one,  came 
timidly  near  them.  Caliphronas,  with  that  wonderful  power 
he  had  over  all  animals,  advanced,  nude  as  he  was,  up  the 
bank,  and  called  to  the  horse  in  a  coaxing  tone.  The  animal 
let  him  get  quite  close  to  it  and  lay  his  hand  on  the  mane, 
when  with  a  sudden  spring  the  Greek  leaped  on  its  back, 
and  the  horse,  startled  by  the  action  and  by  his  shout,  gal- 
loped away  at  full  speed.  E-ound  and  round  the  meadow 
went  horse  and  man,  forming  so  striking  a  sight  that  Maurice 
and  Crispin  paused  in  their  dressing  to  look  at  it.  As  the 
horse  at  full  gallop  came  sweeping  past,  with  Caliphronas 
laughing  and  holding  on  by  the  mane,  Maurice  involuntarily 
thought  of  the  frieze  of  the  Parthenon,  where  nude  youths 
ride  fiery  steeds  in  a  long  serene  procession  of  marble  figures. 
The  Greek  rode  like  a  Red  Indian,  with  the  most  consum- 
mate ease,  and  as  the  horse  for  the  third  time  darted  past 
the  quincunx  of  oaks,  he  dropped  lightl}^  oif,  by  some  trick 
known  only  to  himself,  and  the  steed  galloped  wildly  away, 
while  the  Greek  came  back  laughing  to  his  friends. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  93 

"What  a  child  you  are,  Caliphronas ! "  said  Maurice  in  a 
vexed  tone;  "riding  a  bare-backed  steed  in  that  reckless 
manner.     You  might  have  broken  your  neck." 

"  Small  loss  if  he  had,"  muttered  Crispin  under  his  breath. 

"Oh,  I  can  stick  on  anything,"  answered  Caliphronas  care- 
lessly, taking  no  notice  of  Crispin's  remark,  which  his  keen 
ears  immediately  heard ;  "  besides,  that  gallop  has  done  me 
good.     See,  I  am  quite  dry." 

When  they  were  dressed,  the  three  of  them  walked  quickly 
back  to  breakfast,  for  the  morning  air  had  developed  their 
appetites  enormously.  Mrs.  Dengelton  and  Eunice  awaited 
them  on  the  terrace,  and  they  were  soon  seated  round  the 
well-spread  table.  Caliphronas,  touching  neither  coffee  nor 
tea,  drank  water  only,  and  confined  his  eating  to  bread, 
honey,  and  eggs.  His  w^ere  the  tastes  of  primeval  man,  and 
he  strongly  disliked  elaborate  dishes  which  were  pleasing  to 
the  cultured  palates  of  his  more  civilized  neighbors. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  you  can  eat  such  things,"  he  said  in 
some  disgust,  as  Eunice  took  some  curry.  "Does  it  not 
make  you  ill  ?  " 

"Not  in  the  least.  Count,"  she  replied,  laughing.  "It  is  a 
very  depraved  taste,  I  suppose,  but  I  am  very  fond  of  curry." 

"And  tea  —  hot  tea,"  retorted  Caliphronas  quickly.  "I 
have  heard  it  said  that  tea  is  bad  for  the  nerves.  Ladies 
always  complain  of  nerves,  yet  they  drink  tea." 

"I  could  not  do  without  my  tea,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton, 
who  was  given  to  surreptitious  cups  of  tea  at  odd  hours  of 
the  day,  "and  yet  I  have  nerves.  Oh,  those  dreadful  nerves ! 
You  don't  know  what  it  is  to  be  so  afflicted.  Count." 

"  No,  I  do  not.  I  never  had  an  illness  in  my  life,  but  then 
that  is  because  I  live  a  natural  life,  whereas  all  you  highly 
civilized  people  live  an  artificial  existence.  If  you  gave  up 
your  highly-spiced  dishes,  your  strong  wines,  your  late  hours, 
your  breathing  of  poisonous  air,  you  would  be  as  healthy  as 
I  am." 

"  Well,  you  can  hardly  call  the  air  of  Roylands  poisonous," 
said  Maurice  indolently. 

"No,  the  air  here  is  delightful  because  you  live  near  the 
sea.  I  could  not  dwell  inland  myself.  I  would  die.  I  must 
breathe  the  sea  air,  see  the  wide  waste  of  waters,  hear  the 
thunder  of  waves  on  the  beach.  That  is  the  only  life  for  a 
healthy  man." 

"You  could  not  live  in  London,  I  suppose,"  said  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  frowning  on  Eunice,  who  was  talking  in  a  quiet 
tone  to  Crispin, 


94  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  London  ! "  cried  the  Count,  with  scorn.  "  I  would  as 
soon  live  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  Indeed,  I  believe  it 
would  be  healthier  there.  London,  that  crushed-up  mass  of 
houses  inhabited  by  pale-faced  people  —  I  wonder  they  can 
exist.  Oh,  I  saw  and  heard  a  good  deal  of  London  when  T 
was  there.  Your  people  in  the  East  End  never  leave  those 
narrow  streets  from  one  year  to  the  other.  They  know  noth- 
ing of  sunrise  or  sunset,  for  they  only  see  those  marvels 
through  a  smoky  veil.  They  cannot  tell  a  bird  by  its  song 
—  they  know  nothing  of  animals  or  their  habits.  Of  the 
wonderful  life  of  Nature  which  is  born  and  lives  and  dies  in 
the  woods,  in  the  seas,  in  the  mountains,  they  are  ignorant. 
They  are  born  blind,  they  live  blind,  they  die  blind,  and  call 
such  blindness  life." 

"  But  what  about  the  people  in  the  West  End  ?  "  asked 
Mrs.  Dengelton,  with  the  air  of  making  a  crushing  remark. 

"  They  are  scarcely  better,"  retorted  Caliphronas  promptly ; 
^'  they  sit  half  the  night  in  theatres  breathing  hot  air,  they 
go  to  balls  where  there  is  such  a  crowd  of  people  that  no  one 
can  dance,  they  walk  for  an  hour  in  the  Park  and  call  it 
exercise,  they  poison  themselves  at  the  clubs  with  cigarettes, 
and  in  the  boudoirs  with  tea  —  and  all  this  feverish,  unreal 
life  is  called  '  the  season.'  When  they  go  abroad  it  is  to 
Monte  Carlo  and  those  sorts  of  places,  where  they  lead  the 
same  life  on  a  smaller  scale.  No,  the  West  End  is  no  better 
than  the  East  End  !  " 

"But  you  forget,"  said  Crispin,  more  from  a  desire  to  con- 
tradict the  Count  than  because  he  disagreed  with  him, 
"  plenty  of  people  go  mountaineering,  game-shooting,  yacht- 
ing, exploring." 

"  I  know  all  that,  my  dear  friend,  but  the  number  of 
people  who  do  those  things  is  very  small.  I  am  talking  of 
the  great  mass  of  the  English  people,  and  as  far  as  I  can  see, 
whether  they  are  rich  or  poor,  the  life  they  lead  is  in  both 
cases  equally  opposed  to  health  and  enjoyment." 

"  Here  endeth  the  first  reading,"  said  Maurice,  rising  from 
the  table,  his  example  being  followed  by  all  his  guests. 
''Caliphronas,  you  are  quite  eloquent  on  the  subject." 

"  Yes  !  I  am  not  usually  so  eloquent,"  replied  the  Count, 
going  out  on  to  the  terrace,  "  but  on  all  sides  I  hear  from 
your  people  complaints  of  being  ill.  Well,  the  remedy  is  in 
tlieir  own  hands.     Why  don't  they  use  it  ?  " 

"  My  good  sir,"  remarked  Crispin,  who  had  lighted  a  ciga- 
rette, "you  cannot  overturn  the  whole  complex  civilization 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  95 

of  the  West  in  that  manner.  Man  can  no  more  go  back  to 
the  simplicity  of  the  existence  you  eulogize,  than  you  could 
settle  down  to  a  fashionable  life  in  London  and  enjoy  it." 

''  Well,  you  at  least  can  be  cured  easily,"  said  the  Count, 
with  emphasis,  for,  as  they  were  now  beyond  earshot  of  the 
rest  of  the  party,  he  could  talk  freely  ;  "  you  all  your  lite  have 
lived  the  life  of  a  natural  man,  but  now  you  smoke  that  horri- 
ble tobacco,  drink  all  kinds  of  wines,  eat  all  kinds  of  dishes, 
and  will  soon  become  as  artificial  as  those  people  around  you. 

"  Perhaps  I  will  come  back  to  the  primeval  existence  you 
praise." 

"  With  that  young  lady,  I  suppose  ? 
"  Perhaps." 

"Ah,  she  is  very  charming!     She  is" —  _ 

"  Thank  you,  I  don't  want  to  hear  your  opinion  of  Miss 
Dengelton,"  said  Crispin  haughtily;  "your  primeval  sim- 
plicity at  times  verges  on  rudeness.  How  long  are  you 
going  to  stay  here  ? "  ,  n    j. 

"I  can't  tell  you  that;  but  I  am  going  to  take  my  hrst 
step  to-day." 

"  In  order  to  get  Eoylands  to  Melnos  ? 
"  Yes.  Oh,  I  have  a  lure,  my  friend.  Yes  ;  I  have  de- 
scribed the  fairyland  of  the  islands,  and  that  it  is  fairyland 
you  must  admit.  He  is  even  now  seized  with  a  desire  of 
going  there,  so  to-day  I  will  get  him  to  make  up  his  mind  to 
go  to  the  Levant  with  me." 
"  How  ?  " 

"  I  will  show  him  this." 

Crispin  looked  at  the  portrait  the  Count  held  out,  which 
was  that  of  a  marvellously  beautiful  woman  in  a  Greek 
dress. 

"  Helena ! "  cried  the  poet,  recognizing  the  face.  "  When 
did  she  get  this  taken  ?     Has  she  been  to  Athens  ?  " 

"  No.  I  took  it  myself.  Oh,  I  am  not  absolutely  the  bar- 
barian you  think  me.  I  have  gone  in  for  photography. 
Yes  ;  this  is  one  of  my  best  efforts." 

"  And  do  you  think  that  face  will  lure  Maurice  to  the 
East?"  ^       .  .- 

"  It  ought  to,"  said  Caliphronas,  gazing  at  the  picture  with 
a  burning  light  in  his  eyes  ;  "  she  is  as  lovely  as  her  name- 
sake of  Troy,  and  I  love  her,  oh,  how  I  love  her  ! "  ^^ 
"  Is  it  wdse,  do  you  think,  to  introduce  a  possible  rival  ? 
"  That  does  not  matter  to  me,"  replied  the  Count,  slipping 
the  picture  into  his  pocket.     "  I  have  Justinian's  promise." 


96  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

^'  Yes,  but  you  have  not  got  Helena's." 

"  Oh,  she  won't  refuse  to  marry  me." 

"  For  the  sake  of  her  happiness,  I  hope  she  will." 

"  You  are  very  complimentary,"  retorted  the  Greek  iron- 
ically, turning  away.  "  Well,  I  must  leave  your  delightful 
society,  my  friend.     It  is  time  for  me  to  go  to  the  studio." 

"  Wait  a  minute !  I  have  not  thwarted  your  plans,  be- 
cause, as  far  as  I  can  see,  they  are  innocent,  but  if  you  induce 
Maurice  to  go  to  the  Levant "  — 

"  Well  ?  "  demanded  Caliphrouas  insolently. 

"I  will  go  also." 

"  And  your  reason  ?  " 

"A  very  simple  one.  I  do  not  trust  the  scamp  called 
Andros." 

"Better  known,  at  least  in  England,  as  Constantine  Cali- 
phrouas," replied  the  Count  coolly.  "  Well,  come  if  you  like, 
to  watch  over  your  precious  friend.  I  do  not  wish  him 
harm,  but  he,  and  you  also,  had  better  beware  of  Justinian." 


CHAPTER   IX. 

THE    PORTRAIT. 

Dreary  life, 

Aching  fears, 

Endless  strife, 

Bitter  tears,  , 

Lo,  a  lovely  face  I  see, 
Changing  all  the  world  to  me. 

Love's  delight. 

Beauty's  face, 

Smilings  bright. 

Woman's  grace. 
Thus  beholding  these  i&  thee, 
Thou  hast  changed  the  world  to  me. 

The  studio  which  Maurice  had  fitted  up  for  himself  at  the 
Grange  was  a  very  workmanlike  apartment,  as  it  was  quite 
barren  of  the  artistic  frippery  with  which  painters  love  to 
decorate  their  rooms.  Sculpture  is  a  much  more  virile  art 
than  painting,  and,  scorning  frivolous  adornments  of  all  kinds, 
the  artist  of  the  chisel  devotes  himself  to  the  severest  and 
highest  forms  of  beauty,  so  thtit  he  finds  quite  enough  love- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  97 

liness  in  his  coldly  perfect  marble  figures,  without  furnishing 
his  studio  like  a  Wardour  Street  toy-shop.  Of  course,  he 
who  works  in  colors  loves  to  gaze  on  colors ;  and  therefore 
a  fantastic  Eastern  carpet,  a  quaint  figured  tapestry,  a  gold- 
broidered  curtain  of  Indian  silk,  a  yellow  shield  of  antique 
workmanship,  a  porous  red  jar  from  Egypt,  and  such  like 
brilliances,  are  pleasing  to  the  artistic  eye,  and  the  constant 
sight  of  their  blended  hues  keeps  the  sense  of  color,  so  to 
speak,  up  to  the  mark.  The  sculptor,  however,  has  but  one 
color,  white,  which  is  not  a  color ;  and  the  less  luxurious  his 
studio,  the  more  likely  is  he  to  concentrate  his  attention  on 
the  statue  growing  to  perfection  under  his  busy  chisel. 

These  sentiments,  which  would  seem  to  narrow  down  a 
sculptor  to  the  severest  and  least  graceful  form  of  art,  were 
uttered  by  Crispin  in  approval  of  that  bare  barn  attached 
to  the  Grange  which  Maurice  called  his  studio.  But  then 
Crispin  knew  nothing  about  art,  and  a  painter  or  a  sculptor 
reading  the  above  views  of  their  profession  will  probably 
laugh  to  scorn  such  fanciful  notions.  Yet  it  is  true  that  the 
sculptor  by  his  art  is  shut  off  from  the  world  of  color,  unless, 
like  the  old  Greeks,  —  according  to  some  critics,  —  he  tints 
his  statues,  and  thereby  turns  them  into  wax  figures.  But 
doubtless  those  Hellenic  sculptors  who  wrought  nude  gods 
and  draped  goddesses  from  the  marbles  of  Paros  and  Pentel- 
icus,  did  not  fail  to  notice  how  the  background  of  the  blue 
Attic  sky  enhanced  the  beauty  of  their  creations,  and  there- 
fore must  have  concluded  that  the  world  of  color,  to  which 
they  were  strangers,  could  accentuate  the  fairness  and  beauty 
of  their  statues.  Again  these  are  the  artistic  sentiments  of 
Crispin  the  poet,  delivered  to  Maurice  with  much  daring, 
seeing  the  speaker  was  ignorant  of  the  world  of  art,  and  but 
promulgated  his  ideas  in  a  purely  poetical  fashion.  But 
Crispin's  crude  view  of  art  and  artists  may  doubtless  fail  to 
interest  many  people ;  therefore,  to  come  back  in  a  circle 
to  the  starting-point  of  the  disquisition,  Maurice's  studio  was 
a  very  workmanlike  apartment. 

The  floor  consisted  merely  of  bare  boards,  although  at  one 
end,  in  front  of  the  fireplace,  there  was  an  oasis  of  carpet, 
on  which  rested  a  table  for  pipes  and  tobacco,  together  with 
two  comfortable  arm-chairs.  Scattered  here  and  there  were 
statues  finished  and  unfinished,  some  completed  in  marble, 
others  incomplete  in  clay.  Maurice  had  gratified  his  artis- 
tic desires  for  the  perfection  of  sculpture  by  surrounding 
himself  with  copies  in  marble  of  some  famous  statues,  for 


98  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

now,  as  he  was  wealthy,  he  could  afford  to  do  so.  Here 
danced  the  Faun  with  his  grotesque  visage  and  lissome  pose  ; 
there  smiled  Plebe,  holding  her  cup  for  the  banquet  of  the 
gods  ;  Bacchus  with  his  crown  of  vine-leaves  gazed  serenely 
on  the  sad  face  of  the  draped  Ariadne  in  the  distance  ; 
Apollo  watched  the  lizard  crawling  up  the  tree-trunk ;  and 
Hermes,  ^vith  winged  feet,  poised  himself  on  his  pedestal  as 
if  for  flight.  The  whole  studio  was  filled  with  the  fair  and 
gracious  forms  of  Greek  art,  and  no  wonder  at  times  jNIaurice 
despaired  of  producing  anything  worth  looking  at  beside 
these  immortal  productions  of  the  Hellenic  brain  and  hands. 
The  great  necessity  now  is,  not  to  know  what  one  can  do, 
but  what  one  cannot  do ;  and  if  these  complacent  artists, 
poets,  sculptors,  novelists,  only  abode  by  this  rule,  the  world 
would  be  spared  the  perpetration  of  many  an  atrocity  in 
marble,  verse,  or  on  canvas,  which  the  conceited  creators 
think  perfection.  Maurice  Roylands  had  a  pretty  taste  for 
chipping  marble,  but  he  was  by  no  means  a  genius,  and  his 
statues,  while  perfectly  wrought  in  accordance  with  the 
canons  of  art,  yet  lacked  that  soul  which  only  the  true  sculp- 
tor can  give  to  his  creations.  It  was  a  fortunate  thing  for 
him  that  he  was  a  rich  man,  for  assuredly  he  would  never 
have  become  a  great  sculptor.  His  ideas  were  excellent,  but 
he  could  not  carry  them  out  in  accordance  with  the  figment 
of  his  brain,  as  he  lacked  the  divine  spark  of  genius  which 
alone  can  fully  accomplish  what  it  conceives. 

At  present,  clad  in  a  blouse,  he  was  standing  in  front  of  a 
mass  of  wet  clay,  manipulating  the  soft  material  with  dex- 
terous fingers  into  a  semblance  of  the  fanciful  Endymion 
of  his  brain  and  the  real  Endymion  of  Caliphronas.  That 
gentleman  was  posed  on  the  model's  platform  in  the  distance, 
and  was  beguiling  the  time  by  incessant  chattering  of  this, 
that,  and  the  other  thing. 

The  artist  had  based  his  conception  of  this  statue  of  Endym- 
ion on  these  lines  of  Keats,  poet  laureate  to  Dian  herself,  — 

"What  is  there  in  the  Moon  tliat  thou  shouldst  move 
My  heart  so  potently  ?  " 

He  intended  to  represent  the  shepherd  sitting  on  Latmos 
top,  chin  on  liand,  gazing  at  the  moon  with  dreamy  e3^es,  his 
mortal  lieart  thrilling  at  the  thought  that  he  would  see  the 
inviolate  Artemis  incarnate  in  the  flesh.  In  accordance  with 
the  Greek  ideas  of  nudity,  Maurice  did  not  drape  his  statue ; 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  99 

but  the  shepherd  sat  on  his  chlamys,  which  was  lightly 
thrown  over  a  rock,  while  beside  him  lay  scrip,  and  flask, 
and  pastoral  crook.  Caliphronas  was  seated  thus,  —  with  his 
elbow  resting  on  his  knee  and  his  chin  on  his  hand,  gazing 
presumably  at  the  moon,  in  reality  at  Maurice,  while  the 
other  hand  lightly  hung  down  by  his  side,  and  his  riglit  leg 
was  drawn  back  so  that  the  foot  bent  in  a  delicate  curve 
calculated  to  show  its  full  beauty.  This  pose  showed  all  the 
perfect  lines  of  his  figure,  and  with  his  nude  body,  his  clean- 
shaven face,  and  dreaming  eyes,  he  looked  the  veritable  En- 
dymion  who  was  waiting  the  descent  of  the  goddess  from  high 
Olympus.  Though  it  was  a  warm  day,  a  fire  burned  in  the 
grate,  for  the  Greek  was  very  susceptible  to  cold,  and  after 
working  for  some  time  Maurice  was  fain  to  rest,  so  great 
was  the  heat ;  whereupon  Caliphronas  flung  himself  back  on 
the  chlamys,  placed  his  hands  behind  his  head,  and  began  to 
talk. 

"  Will  you  be  long  at  your  work  to-day,  Mr.  Maurice  ?  " 
he  asked  with  a  yawn. 

"  No,  not  if  you  are  tired,"  replied  Roy  lands,  throwing  a 
cloak  over  the  Count.  "  You  had  better  wrap  yourself  up, 
or  you  will  catch  cold.  If  you  don't  care  to  sit  any  more 
to-day,  we  can  leave  off  now." 

"Well,  I  have  some  letters  to  write,  but  I  will  wait 
another  half-hour." 

"All  right!" 

Maurice  lighted  his  favorite  pipe  and  established  himself 
in  a  comfortable  chair,  upon  which  the  Count,  finding  the 
rock  of  Endymion  somewhat  hard,  forsook  the  platform,  and, 
wrapping  the  cloak  closely  round  him,  sat  down  opposite  the 
sculptor. 

"  I  wonder  you  don't  smoke,  Caliphronas,"  said  Maurice, 
idly  watching  the  Greek  with  half-closed  eyes.  "  You  will 
find  it  an  excellent  way  of  passing  the  time." 

"  Of  killing  time,  I  suppose  you  mean  ;  but  I  have  no  need 
to  do  that.  At  least,  not  when  I  am  at  home  in  Greece. 
Here,  yes,  it  is  rather  difficult  to  get  through  the  day  com- 
fortably ;  if  it  were  not  for  these  sittings,  I  really  do  not 
know  what  I  would  do  with  myself." 

"  I  am  afraid  I  will  never  be  able  to  carry  out  my  concep- 
tion of  Endymion,"  said  Maurice,  paying  no  attention  to  this 
remark. 

Caliphronas  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Oh,  your  work  is  very  good,"  he  said  politely,  "  very 
good  indeed  J  but  of  course  it  is  not  perfect." 


100  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  I  know  that,  but  practice  makes  perfect." 

"Not  in  the  world  of  art.  You  may  learn  to  paint  in 
strict  accordance  with  the  rules  of  art.  You  may  sculpture 
to  the  inch  every  portion  of  the  human  body,  but  that  is  only 
the  outward  semblance  of  the  picture  or  the  statue.  The 
great  thing  which  makes  a  great  work  is  the  soul." 

"Quite  true.  And  you  think  I  cannot  create  the  soul  of 
my  statues  ?  "  said  Maurice,  rather  nettled  at  the  outspoken 
criticism. 

"  I  say  nothing,  my  friend.  I  know  but  little  of  art,  so  it 
would  be  an  impertinence  of  me  to  talk  about  that  of  which 
I  am  ignorant." 

"  The  longer  we  live  the  less  we  discover  we  know,"  said 
E-oylands  sententious^. 

"  I  suppose  that  is  true,"  replied  Caliphronas  indolently ; 
"  but,  thank  heaven,  I  have  not  the  soul  of  an  artist,  for  it 
seems  to  cause  its  owner  perpetual  anxiety.  Ko ;  I  live 
healthy,  joyous,  and  free,  like  the  other  animals  of  Nature, 
and  I  am  quite  satisfied." 

"  Is  that  not  rather  ignoble  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  ;  but  that  is  nothing  to  me.  I  am  happy,  which 
is,  to  my  mind,  the  main  aim  of  life.  Why  should  I  slave 
for  money  ?  I  do  not  wish  it.  Why  should  I  toil  for  years 
at  art,  and  gain  at  the  end  but  ephemeral  fame  ?  Besides, 
when  one  dies,  what  good  does  fame  do  ?  A  large  marble 
tomb  would  not  please  me." 

"  Still,  the  fame  of  being  spoken  of  by  succeeding  gen- 
erations." 

"  Who  would  do  nothing  but  wrangle  over  their  different 
opinions  regarding  one's  work.  Present  happiness  is  what 
I  wish,  not  future  praise ;  but  in  this  narrow  island  of  yours 
you  cannot  understand  the  joy  of  life.  Come  with  me  to  the 
isles  of  Greece,  and  you  will  be  so  fascinated  with  the  free, 
wild  life  that  you  will  never  return  to  your  prison-house." 

"  If  all  men  thought  like  you,  the  world  would  not  pro- 
gress." 

"  I  don't  want  all  men  to  think  the  same  as  I  do,"  replied 
the  Count  selfishly.  "  I  suppose  there  must  be  slaves  as 
well  as  freemen.     I  prefer  to  be  the  last." 

"  Slaves  ! " 

"  Yes.  I  do  not  mean  the  genuine  article,  but  all  men  are 
slaves  more  or  less,  if  they  don't  follow  my  mode  of  life. 
Slaves  to  gain,  slaves  to  art,  slaves  to  conventionality,  slaves 
to  everything ;  and  what  do  they  gain  by  such  slavery  ? 
Nothing  but  what  I  do  —  a  tomb  —  annihilation." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  101 

"  Well,  you  are  a  slave  to  your  passions." 
"  You  mean  I  obey  my  impulses.     Well,  I  do  ;  but  it  is  a 
very  pleasant  kind  of  slavery." 

"  And  you  believe  in  that  horrible  theory  of  annihilation  ? 
"  Well,  I  don't  know  what  I  believe.  I  trouble  myself  in 
no-wise  about  the  hereafter.  I  am  alive,  I  am  strong,  I  am 
happy.  The  sun  is  bright,  the  winds  are  inspiriting,  —  ! 
draw  delight  from  mountain  and  plain,  —  so  why  should 
1  trouble  mvself  about  what  I  know  nothing  ?  The  present  is 
just  enough  for  me.  Let  the  future  take  care  of  itself." 
"  A  seltish  philosophy." 

"A  very  enjoyable  one.     Come  with  me  to  the  East,  and 
you  will  adopt  my  creed.     Are  you  happy  here  ?  " 
"  No." 

"  I  can  see  that.  You  are  melancholy  at  times,  you  are 
devoured  with  spleen,  you  find  the  life  you  lead  too  dreary 
for  your  soul.  If  you  let  me  be  your  physician,  I  will  cure 
you." 

''And  how?" 

"  By  a  very  simple  means.  I  will  make  you  lead  the  same 
life  as  I  do  myself,  —  open-air  life,  —  and  in  a  few  months 
you  will  find  these  nightmares  of  the  soul  completely  disap- 
pear. No  prisoner  can  be  happy  ;  and  as  you  are  a  prisoner 
in  this  dungeon  of  conventionality,  and  are  swathed  in  the 
mummy  cloths  of  civilization,  you  cannot  hope  to  be  happy 
unless  you  go  out  into  the  wilderness." 

''The  life  you  describe  is  purely  an  animal  one.  What 
about  the  intellect  ?  " 

'-  Intellect !  pshaw  !  I  know  more  about  Nature  than  half 
your  scientific  idiots  with  their  books." 

'•'  What  an  inconsistent  being  you  are,  Caliphronas  ! "  said 
:\raurice  in  an  amused  tone.  "  You  say  you  love  art,  admire 
pictures,  adore  statues  ;  yet,  if  every  man  followed  the  life 
you  eulogize,  such  things  would  not  be  in  existence." 

"I  tell  you,  I  don't  want  all  the  world  to  follow  my  ex- 
ample. I  would  be  very  sorry  to  lose  all  these  delights  of 
the  senses,  so  I  am  glad  there  are  men  sufficiently  self-deny- 
ing to  slave  at  such  things  for  my  delight ;  but  as  regards 
myself,  I  desire  to  live  as  a  natural  man  —  an  animal,  as  you 
say.     It  is  ignoble  —  yes;  but  it  is  pleasant." 

This  speech  somewhat  opened  the  eyes  of  Maurice  to  the 
kind  of  soul  which  was  enshrined  in  the  splendid  body  of 
this  man  ;  and  he  saw  plainly  that  the  sensual  part  of  Cali- 
phronas had  completely  conquered  the  spiritual.     But  with 


102  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

what  result  ?  —  that  this  ignoble  being  was  happy.  What  an 
ironical  comment  of  Fate  on  the  strivings  of  great  beings  to 
subordinate  the  senses  to  the  soul.  The  soul  agitated  by  a 
thousand  fears,  the  brain  striving  ever  after  the  impossible 
—  what  do  these  give  their  possessor,  but  a  feeling  of  unrest, 
of  unsatisfied  hunger ;  whereas  the  body,  untortured  by  an 
inquiring  spirit,  brought  contentment,  happiness  —  ignoble 
though  they  were  —  to  the  animal  man. 

By  this  time,  Caliphronas,  having  made  up  his  mind  to  sit 
no  more  that  day,  was  slowly  dressing  himself,  singing  a 
Greek  song  in  his  usual  gay  manner. 

"  Three  girls  crossed  my  path  in  the  twilight; 
One  did  I  love,  but  the  others  were  nothing  to  me: 
She  frowned  at  my  greeting,  but  her  friends  smiled  sweetly, 
Yet  was  she  the  loveliest  of  them  all, 
And  I  loved  her  frown  more  than  their  smiles  inviting." 

"  How  happy  you  are,  Caliphronas  !  " 

"Thoroughly.  I  have  not  a  care  in  the  world.  Come  with 
me  to  the  Island  of  Fantasy,  and  you  also  will  be  happy." 

"  The  Island  of  Fantasy  !  " 

"  Yes  ;  that  is  what  Justinian  calls  it." 

"  Who  is  Justinian  ?  anything  to  do  with  the  Pandects  ?  " 

"  Pandects  ?  "  reiterated  Caliphronas,  puzzled  by  the  word. 

^•'  Yes.     Is  he  a  ruler  —  a  law-giver  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes  ;  he  is  the  king  of  the  Island  of  Fantasy." 

"  Which,  I  presume,  exists  only  in  your  brain,"  said  Roy- 
lands  jestingly. 

"Pardon  me,  no,"  replied  the  Count  seriously,  resuming 
his  seat.  "  The  Island  of  Fantasy,  or,  to  call  it  by  its  real 
name,  Melnos,  does  exist  in  the  ^gean  Sea.  It  is  a  but  little 
known  island,  and  Justinian,  who  is  my  very  good  friend, 
rules  over  it  as  a  kind  of  Homeric  king.  Ulysses  was  just 
such  another ;  and  there  you  will  find  the  calm,  patriarchal 
life  of  those  antique  times,  which  you  of  the  modern  world 
think  has  vanished  forever.  My  friend,  the  Golden  Age 
still  exists  in  Melnos,  and  if  you  come  with  me,  you  will 
dwell  in  Arcady." 

"  My  dear  Count,"  said  Maurice,  much  impressed  by  the 
fluency  of  the  man's  speech,  '•  I  have  never  yet  heard  a  for- 
eigner speak  our  tongue  with  such  ease  as  you  do.  Where 
did  you  learn  such  fluenc}^ —  such  a  good  accent  ?  " 

"  Ah,  I  will  tell  you  that  when  we  arrive  at  Melnos." 

"You  are  almost   as  much  a  riddle  as  is  Crispin,"  said 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  103 

Maurice,  chafing  at  this  secrecy,  which  seemed  to  be  so 
senseless. 

"  Doubtless  ;  but  if  you  are  curious  to  know  about  us  both, 
come  to  the  ^gean  with  me." 

"  About  you  both  ?  "  repeated  the  Englishman  :  "  why,  do 
you  know  anything  of  Crispin  ?  " 

Caliphronas  knew  a  good  deal  about  Crispin,  but  he  was 
too  wise  to  say  that  he  did.  Silence  regarding  the  past  on 
his  part  was  the  only  way  to  secure  silence  on  the  part  of 
Crispin  ;  and  much  as  Caliphronas,  in  his  enmity  to  the 
poet,  would  have  liked  to  reveal  what  Crispin  desired  to  be 
kept  secret,  he  had  too  much  at  stake  to  risk  such  a  grati- 
fication of  his  spite,  and  therefore  passed  off  the  question 
with  a  laugh. 

"Know  anything  about  Creespeen  ?  "  he  reiterated,  smil- 
ing. "  I'm  afraid  I  know  nothing  more  than  you  do.  I  met 
him  at  Athens,  truly,  but  we  were  but  acquaintances,  so  I  never 
made  any  inquiries  about  him.  He  was  as  much  a  riddle 
there  as  here.  Oh  yes,  I  heard  all  the  romances  about  him 
in  London  ;  and  no  doubt  one  story  is  as  true  as  another. 
The  reason  I  made  such  a  remark  as  I  did,  was  that,  as 
Crispin  says  himself,  he  came  from  the  East  like  a  wise  man 
of  to-day  ;  you  will  probably  learn  his  past  history  in  those 
parts." 

"And  as  to  yourself  ?  " 

"  Eh  !  I  have  told  you  all  my  past  life,  with  the  exception 
of  Melnos,  and  that  I  did  not  think  worth  while  relating. 
But  it  is  a  charming  place,  I  assure  you ;  and  if  you  come 
with  me,  I  am  sure  you  will  find  a  community  under  the  rule 
of  Justinian,  which  is  quite  foreign  to  this  century." 

"I  have  a  good  mind  to  accept  j^our  offer,"  said  Maurice 
musingly  ;  "  there  is  nothing  to  keep  me  in  England,  and  a 
glimpse  of  new  lands  would  do  me  good.  Besides,  Count, 
one  does  not  get  such  an  excellent  guide  as  you  every  day." 

"Oh,  I  know  every  island  in  the  ^gean,"  replied  Cali- 
phronas, smiling  his  thanks  for  the  compliment.  "  I  have 
sailed  all  over  the  Archipelago,  and  am  quite  a  sailor  in  a 
small  way.  Lesbos,  Cythera,  Samos,  Rhodes,  —  I  know 
them  all  intimately ;  so  if  you  are  fond  of  ruins,  and  the 
remains  of  old  Greece,  I  can  show  you  plenty,  tell  you  the 
legends,  arrange  about  the  inns,  and,  in  fact,  act  as  a  drago- 
man ;  but,  of  course,  without  his  greed  for  money." 

"  It  seems  worth  considering." 

"It  will  be  a  visit  to  paradise,"  cried  Caliphronas  enthusi- 


104  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

astically,  springing  to  his  feet.  "  Here  you  do  not  know  the 
true  meaning  of  the  word  beauty.  Only  under  the  blue  sky, 
above  the  blue  waves  of  the  ^gean,  is  it  to  be  seen.  Aphro- 
dite arose  from  those  waters,  and  she  was  but  an  incarnation 
of  the  beauty  which  meets  the  eye  on  all  sides.  You  have 
been  my  host  in  England.  I  will  be  your  host  in  Greece, 
and  will  entertain  you  in  my  ruined  abode,  —  misnamed  a 
palace,  —  which  is  all  that  remains  to  me  of  my  forefathers. 
Together  we  will  sail  over  those  laughing  waters,  and  see  the 
sun-kissed  islands  bloom  on  the  wave.  Paradise  !  It  is  the 
Elysian  fields  of  foam  where  rest  the  spirits  of  wearied 
mariners.     What  says  the  song  of  the  Greek  sailors  ? 

'I  will  die!  but  the  earth  will  not  hold  me  in  her  breast, 
For  the  blue  sea  will  clasp  me  in  its  arms. 
I  will  die!  but  let  my  soul  not  find  the  heaven  of  the  orthodox. 
Nay,  let  it  wander  among  the  flowery  islands, 
Where  I  can  see  my  home  and  the  girl  who  mourns  me. 
That  only  is  the  paradise  I  long  for.'  " 

"  You  forget  I  do  not  know  modern  Greek,"  said  Maurice, 
smiling  at  the  enthusiasm  of  the  Count ;  "  nor  indeed  much 
ancient  Greek,  for  the  matter  of  that.  But  see.  Count,  you 
have  dropped  a  photograph." 

"  You  can  look  at  it,"  said  the  Count,  who  had  let  it  fall 
purposely ;  ''  I  have  no  secrets." 

"  Oh  I " 

"  Ah,  you  think  it  a  charming  face  ?  " 

"Charming  is  too  weak  a  word.     It  is  Aphrodite  herself." 

"  Alas  ! "  cried  Caliphronas,  with  a  merry  laugh  ;  "  that  god- 
dess lived  before  the  days  of  sun-pictures,  else  Apollo  might 
have  photographed  her.  Xo ;  that  is  no  deity,  but  a  mortal 
maiden  whom  I  saw  at  Melnos.  It  is  not  bad  for  an  ama- 
teur effort,  is  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  very  good,  very  good  !  "  replied  Maurice  hurriedly  ; 
"  but  the  face  —  what  a  heavenly  face  !  " 

"  Ah,  you  see  my  paradise  has  got  its  Eve." 

"  And  its  Adam,  doubtless  ?  " 

"No,  there  is  no  Adam  to  that  Eve,"  said  Caliphronas, 
shaking  his  head ;  "  at  least,  there  was  not  when  I  was  in 
Melnos  six  months  ago.  Why  should  there  be  ?  You  will 
find  plenty  of  women  as  beautiful  as  Helena." 

"  Helena  —  is  that  her  name  ?  Yes,  I  have  no  doubt  you 
will  find  beautiful  women  in  Greece,  —  'tis  their  heritage 
from  Phryne,  Lais,  and  Aspasia ;  but  none  can  be  as  beautiful 
as  Helen  of  Troy." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  105 

"  Possibly  not ;  but  that  woman  is  Helena  of  Melnos,  not 
of  Troy." 

"  I'll  swear  she  is  as  beautiful  as  the  wife  of  Menelaus, 
whom  Paris  loved." 

"  You  seem  quite  in  raptures  over  this  face,"  said  Cali- 
phronas,  with  but  ill-concealed  anger.  "  Pray,  do  you  propose 
to  be  Menelaus  or  Paris  !  " 

"  Why,  are  you  in  love  with  her  yourself  ? ''  asked  Maurice, 
looking  at  the  Greek  in  some  surprise. 

This  question  touched  Caliphronas  more  nearly  than  Mau- 
rice guessed,  but,  whatever  passion  he  may  have  felt  for  the 
lady  of  the  picture,  he  said  nothing  about  it,  but  laughed  in 
a  somewhat  artificial  manner. 

"  I  in  love  with  her,  my  friend  ?  No ;  she  is  beautiful,  I 
grant  you,  but  I  look  upon  her  as  I  would  an  exquisite  pic- 
ture. She  is  nothing  to  me.  Did  I  not  tell  you  I  have  a 
future  bride  in  the  East  ?  Yes  —  in  Constantinople ;  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  old  Byzantine  nobles,  a  Fanariot  beautiful  as  the 
dawn,  who  dwells  at  Phanar." 

"  Then  I  need  fear  no  rivalry  from  you,  Caliphronas  ?  " 

'^  Certainly  not.  But  you  seem  to  have  fallen  in  love  with 
this  pictured  Helena." 

"  I  will  not  go  so  far  as  to  say  that ;  but  you  know  I 
have  the  artistic  temperament,  and  therefore  admire  beauty 
always." 

"  Of  course  —  the  artistic  sense,"  sneered  Caliphronas  in 
such  a  disagreeable  way,  that  Maurice  again  looked  at  him 
in  astonishment. 

The  fact  is,  that  Eoylands'  admiration  of  the  portrait 
seemed  to  ruffle  Caliphronas  very  much,  and  quite  altered 
his  usual  nonchalance  of  manner.  Never  before  had  Maurice 
seen  his  joyous  nature  so  changed,  for  he  had  now  a  frown  on 
his  usually  smiling  face,  and  appeared  to  be  on  the  verge  of 
an  angry  outbreak.  All  the  wild  beast  in  his  nature,  which 
was  so  carefully  hidden  by  the  civilized  mask,  seemed  to 
show  in  the  most  unexpected  manner,  and  with  flashing  eyes, 
tightly  drawn  lips,  and  scowling  countenance,  ^he  looked 
anything  but  the  serene  Greek  with  whom  Roylands  was 
acquainted.  Maurice  was  astonished  and  rather  annoyed  at 
this  exhibition  of  temper,  so,  rising  from  his  seat,  he  gave 
the  picture  back  to  his  guest  with  a  dignified  gesture. 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  pry  into  your  secrets.  Count,"  he  said 
quietly,  walking  towards  the  door;  "you  showed  me  that 
portrait  of  your  own  free  will,  and  if  I  admire  it  somewhat 


106  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

warmly,  surely  the  beauty  of  the  face  is  my  excuse.  At 
present  I  will  say  au  revoir,  as  I  have  some  business  to  do, 
and  will  be  in  my  study  till  luncheon." 

When  Maurice  disappeared,  the  Greek  stamped  about  the 
room  in  sheer  vexation  at  having  betrayed  himself,  for  he 
could  not  but  see  that  for  once  this  simple  Englishman  had 
caught  a  glimpse  of  his  real  nature,  hitherto  so  carefully 
concealed. 

"  I  am  a  fool,  a  fool ! "  he  said  savagely  in  Greek  ;  "  every- 
thing was  going  well,  and  I  spoil  all  by  letting  my  temper 
get  the  better  of  me.  Why  did  I  not  let  him  admire  Helena 
and  say  nothing  ?  When  we  get  to  Melnos,  that  will  be  a 
different  thing,  for  Justinian  cannot  go  back  from  his  word ; 
and  if  I  perform  my  part  of  the  bargain,  and  bring  this  fool 
to  Melnos,  he  must  perform  his,  and  give  nie  his  daughter. 
I  must  recover  my  lost  ground  if  possible,  — bah  !  it  will  not 
be  difficult.  I  can  see  he  is  in  love  with  Helena,  so  that  will 
smooth  everything.  In  love  with  my  goddess  !  "  he  said 
ardently,  gazing  at  the  lovely  face.  "  Ah,  how  can  he  help 
being  so  ?  —  there  is  much  excuse ;  but  he  can  only  worship 
you  at  a  distance,  my  Venus,  for  you  are  mine  —  mine  — 


mine 


?" 


He  thrust  the  picture  into  his  pocket,  and,  recovering  his 
serene  joyousness  of  mood,  pondered  for  a  few  moments  as 
to  what  was  the  best  course  to  pursue.  At  last  he  decided, 
and  walked  towards  the  door  of  the  studio  with  the  air  of  a 
man  who  had  made  up  his  mind. 

"  I  will  give  him  the  picture,"  he  said,  with  a  great  effort, 
"  and  I  feel  sure  he  will  make  peace  on  those  terms." 

Maurice  was  sitting  at  his  desk,  wondering  why  the  even- 
tempered  Greek  had  thus  given  way  to  anger  over  the 
picture. 

"  If  he  is  engaged  to  a  lady  of  Stamboul,  he  cannot  be  in 
love  with  this  Helena,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  Perhaps  he 
was  jealous  of  my  admiring  the  beauty  of  a  woman  more 
than  his  own.  All  Greeks  are  vain,  but,  as  far  as  I  can  see, 
Caliphronas  is  simply  mad  with  vanity.     Come  in." 

In  answer  to  his  invitation,  the  Count  entered  smiling, 
and  laid  the  picture  on  the  desk  before  Maurice. 

"You  must  not  be  angry  with  me,  my  friend,"  he  said 
volubly ;  "  I  am  like  a  child,  and  grow  bad-tempered  over 
nothing.  This  Helena  is  nothing  to  me,  and,  to  prove  this, 
I  give  you  her  portrait,  which  I  do  not  care  to  keep.  Come, 
am  I  forgiven?" 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  107 

"  Of  course  you  are,"  said  Roylands  hastily ;  "  and  I  will 
not  deprive  you  of  your  picture." 

"No,  no,  I  do  not  want  it  back,"  replied  Caliphronas, 
spreading  out  his  hands  in  token  of  refusal ;  "  you  love  the 
face,  so  keep  it  by  all  means." 

"  She  is  very  beautiful,"  said  Maurice,  gazing  longingly  at 
this  modern  Helen. 

"  Is  she  worth  a  journey  to  the  East  ?  "  asked  Caliphronas 
in  a  soft  voice,  like  the  sibilant  hiss  of  a  serpent. 

Maurice  made  no  reply ;  he  was  looking  at  the  portrait. 


CHAPTER   X. 

A    MODERN     IXION. 

Oh,  beware 

Of  a  snare  ! 

'Tis  a  phantom  fair 

Who  will  tangle  your  heart  in  her  golden  hair. 

Tho'  he  vowed 
Would  be  bowed 
Heaven's  Hera  proud, 
Ixion  was  duped  by  a  treacherous  cloud- 
But  in  sooth, 
Fate  hath  ruth, 
And  this  dream  of  youth 
May  change  from  a  dream  to  immutable  truth. 

"What  is  truth?"  asked  Pilate,  but  to  this  perplexing 
question  received  no  answer,  not  even  from  the  Divine  Man, 
who  was  best  able  to  give  a  satisfactory  reply.  In  the  same 
way  we  may  ask,  "  What  is  love  ? "  and  receive  many 
answers,  not  one  of  which  will  be  correct.  The  reason  is 
simply,  no  one  knows  what  love  is,  though  every  one  has 
felt  it.  The  commonest  things  are  generally  the  most  per- 
plexing, and  surely  love  is  common  enough,  seeing  it  is  the 
thing  upon  which  the  welfare,  the  pleasure,  nay,  the  con- 
tinuity, of  the  human  race  depends.  Yet  no  one  can  define 
this  every-day  passion,  because  it  is  undefinable.  "  'Tis  the 
mutual  feeling  which  draws  man  and  maid  together."  True, 
but  that  may  be  affection,  which  is  a  lesser  passion  than  love. 
"  'Tis  the  admiration  of  a  man  or  a  woman  for  each  other's 


108  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

beauty."  Nay,  that  is  but  sensuality.  "  'Tis  the  longing  of 
two  people  of  the  opposite  sexes  to  dwell  together  all  their 
life."  Why,  that  is  only  companionship.  Affection,  sensu- 
ality, companionship,  all  three  very  pleasant,  very  comfort- 
ing, but  Love  is  greater  than  such  a  trinity.  He  may  not 
give  pleasure,  he  may  not  bring  comfort,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, may  make  those  to  whose  hearts  he  comes  very 
unhappy.  Love  is  no  mischievous  urchin,  who  plays  with 
his  arrows ;  no,  he  is  a  great  and  terrible  divinity,  who 
comes  to  every  mortal  but  once  in  life.  We  desire  him,  we 
name  him,  we  delight  in  him ;  but  we  know  not  what  he  is, 
where  he  comes  from,  or  when  he  will  leave  us. 

These  reflections  were  suggested  to  Maurice  by  the  ex- 
traordinary feelings  with  which  this  dream-face  of  Helena 
inspired  him.  Never  before  had  he  felt  the  sensation  of 
love  —  not  affection,  not  admiration,  not  desire,  but  strong, 
passionate  love,  which  pervaded  his  whole  being,  yet  which 
he  could  not  describe.  He  had  not  seen  this  woman  in  the 
flesh,  he  was  hardl}^  certain  if  she  existed,  for  all  the  evi- 
dences he  had  to  assure  him  that  there  was  such  a  being 
were  the  portrait  and  the  name,  yet  he  felt,  by  some  subtle, 
indescribable  instinct,  that  this  was  the  one  woman  in  the 
world  for  him.  Maurice,  who  had  hitherto  doubted  the 
existence  of  love,  was  now  being  punished  for  such  scepti- 
cism and  was  as  love-sick  as  ever  was  some  green  lad  fasci- 
nated by  a  pretty  face.  '•'  He  jests  at  scars  who  never  felt  a 
wound;"  but  Maurice  did  not  jest  at  scars  now,  for  the 
arrow  of  Cupid,  shot  from  some  viewless  height,  had  made  a 
wound  in  his  heart  which  would  heal  not  till  he  died ;  or, 
even  granting  it  would  heal,  would  leave  a  scar  to  be  seen  of 
all  men. 

It  was  the  old  story  of  Ixion  over  again.  Here  was  a  man 
embracing  a  cloudy  phantom  of  his  own  imagination,  for, 
granting  that  this  beautiful  face  belonged  to  a  real  woman, 
Maurice  knew  nothing  about  her,  yet  dowered  her  with  all 
the  exquisite  perfections  of  feminality.  He  dreamed  she 
would  be  loving,  tender,  and  womanly,  yet,  for  aught  he 
knew,  the  owner  of  that  lovely  face  might  be  a  very  Peu- 
thesilea  for  daring  and  masculine  emulation.  But  no;  he 
could  not  believe  that  she  would  unsex  herself  by  taking 
upon  her  nature  the  rival  attributes  of  manly  strength,  for 
the  whole  face  breathed  nothing  but  feminine  delicacy. 
That  broad  white  brow,  above  which  the  hair  was  smoothed 
in  the  antique  fashion ;  those  grave,  earnest  eyes,  so  full  of 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  109 

sympathy  and  purity ;  that  beautifully  shaped  mouth,  like  a 
scarlet  flower,  speaking  of  reticence  and  womanly  shrinking. 
No;  he  was  quite  sure  that  she  was  an  ideal  woman,  so 
therefore  worshipped  her  —  unseen,  unheard  —  with  all  the 
chivalrous  affection  of  a  mediaeval  knight. 

Day  and  night  that  faultless  face  haunted  his  brain  like 
some*^  perfect  poem,  and,  waking  or  sleeping,  he  seemed  to 
hear  her  voice,  full  and  rich  as  an  organ-note,  calling  on  him 
to  seek  her  in  that  Island  of  Fantasy  whereof  the  Greek 
had  spoken.  Was  she  indeed  some  fairy  princess,  detained 
in  an  enchanted  castle  against  her  will  ?  was  this  mysterious 
Justinian,  whose  personality  seemed  so  vague,  indeed  her 
jailer,  guarding  her  as  the  dragon  did  the  golden  fruit  of 
the  Hesperides  ?  and  was  Caliphronas  a  messenger  sent  to 
tell  him  of  the  reward  awaiting  him  should  he  take  upon 
him  vows  of  releasing  her  from  such  thraldom,  and  accom- 
plish his  quest  successfully  ?  Curious  how  the  classic  legends 
and  the  mediaeval  romances  mixed  together  in  his  brain,  yet 
one  and  all,  however  diverse  in  thought,  pointed  ever  to 
that  beautiful  woman  dwelling  in  an  enchanted  island  sea- 
encircled  by  the  murmurous  waves  of  the  blue  ^gean. 

True,  he  had  fallen  in  love,  and  thus  regained  in  one 
instant  the  interest  in  life  which  he  had  lost  erstwhile  ;  but 
the  object  of  his  adoration  seemed  so  far  away,  her  per- 
sonality, about  which  he  could  only  obscurely  conjecture, 
was  so  lost  in  dream-mists,  that  the  cure  of  his  melancholia 
seemed  worse  than  the  disease  itself.  He  again  became  sad 
and  absent-minded,  grieving  —  not,  as  formerly,  for  a  vague 
abstraction,  for  something,  he  knew  not  what  —  but  for  an 
actual  being,  for  an  unfulfilled  passion  which  seemed  in 
itself  as  elusive  a  thing  as  had  tormented  him  formerly. 
The  indistinct  phantom  which  had  engendered  melancholia 
had  taken  shape  —  the  shape  of  a  beautiful,  smiling  face, 
which  mocked  him  with  the  promise  of  delight  probably 
never  destined  to  be  fulfilled. 

All  his  guests  noticed  this  lapse  into  his  former  melancholy, 
but  none  of  them  guessed  the  reason  save  Caliphronas,  who 
was  beside  himself  with  rage  at  the  discovery.  The  strata- 
gem with  which  he  proposed  to  draw  Maurice  to  Melnos  had 
succeeded  beyond  his  highest  expectations,  but  he  was  very 
dissatisfied  with  his  success,  and  began  to  wonder  if  Crispin 
was  not  right  after  all  concerning  the  folly  of  presenting  a 
possible  rival  to  the  woman  he  desired  for  himself.  The 
woman  was  to  be  the  reward  of  his  success :  he  had  made 


110  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

use  of  that  woman's  pictured  loveliness  to  achieve  that 
success,  and  by  so  doing  had  complicated  the  simplicity  of 
the  affair  by  introducing  a  third  element,  that  of  a  rival's 
love,  which  might  place  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  receiv- 
ing the  reward.  It  was  Mephistopheles  showing  Faust  the 
phantom  of  Gretchen,  and  the  same  result  of  love  for  an 
unseen  woman  had  ensued  ;  but  then,  Mephistopheles  was 
not  enamoured  of  the  loveliness  he  used  as  a  bait  to  catch 
his  victim,  whereas  Caliphronas  was.  However,  it  was  too 
late  now  to  alter  the  matter,  for  the  Greek  could  see  that 
Maurice  had  almost  made  up  his  mind  to  go  in  search  of  this 
new  Helen  of  Troy,  and  if  he  succeeded  in  gaining  her 
heart,  circumstances  might  arise  with  which  it  would  be 
difficult  to  grapple. 

After  all,  when  Caliphronas  compared  the  Englishman's 
every-day  comeliness  with  his  own  glorious  beauty,  he  felt 
that  no  woman  would  refuse  him  for  such  a  commonplace 
individual  as  his  possible  rival.  But,  again,  Caliphronas  was 
aware  that  Helena  valued  the  inward  more  than  the  outward 
man,  in  which  case  he  suspected  he  had  but  little  chance  in 
coming  off  best.  Pose  as  he  might  to  the  world,  Cali- 
phronas knew  the  degradation  of  his  own  soul,  and  when  this 
was  contrasted  with  the  honest,  proud,  straightforward  nature 
of  Maurice  Koylands,  it  could  be  easily  seen  which  of  them 
the  woman  would  choose  as  best  calculated  to  insure  her 
happiness.  Besides,  the  love  which  had  been  newly  born  in 
Maurice's  heart  was  a  highly  spiritual  passion,  with  no  touch 
of  grossness,  whereas  the  desires  of  Caliphronas  were  purely 
animal  ones  for  physical  beauty.  In  point  of  outward  sem- 
blance, he  would  have  been  a  titter  husband  for  the  exquisite 
beauty  of  this  woman,  but  as  to  a  marriage  of  souls,  which 
after  all  is  the  only  true  marriage,  the  one  was  as  different 
from  the  other  as  is  day  from  night. 

Maurice  said  nothing  to  Crispin  about  the  portrait,  and 
though  the  latter  guessed  from  his  abstraction  that  Caliphro- 
nas had  played  his  last  card  with  that  hidden  loveliness,  he 
made  no  remark,  for  the  time  was  not  yet  ripe  to  unfold  the 
past.  If,  however,  Maurice  went  to  Melnos,  Crispin,  as  he 
had  told  Caliphronas,  determined  to  accompany  him,  as  much 
on  his  own  account  as  on  that  of  his  friend.  Truly  this  poet 
was  a  riddle,  and  so  also  was  the  Greek ;  but  it  is  question- 
able if  Maurice,  with  his  open  and  above-board  English  life, 
was  not  a  greater  riddle  than  either  of  these  mysterious  men, 
seeing  that  his  perplexity  was  a  thing  of  the  soul,  vague  and 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  Ill 

intangible,  the  solving  of  which  meant  the  settling  of  his 
whole  spiritual  life;  whereas  the  lighting  of  the  darkness 
with  which  Caliphronas  and  Crispin  chose  to  enshroud  them- 
selves was  simply  a  question  of  material  existence.  The 
Parcse  held  the  three  tangled  skeins  in  their  hands  :  Clotho 
now  grasped  the  intricate  threads;  Lachesis  was  spinning 
the  actions  which  were  to  lead  to  the  unravelling  of  these 
riddles  of  spiritual  and  material  things;  and  Atropos  was 
waiting  grimly  with  her  fatal  scissors  to  clip  the  life-thread 
of  one  of  the  three.  But  the  question  was,  which  ?  Ah, 
that  was  yet  to  be  seen  !  for  the  middle  Destiny  was  yet 
weaving  woof  and  warp  of  words,  actions,  and  desires,  the 
outcome  of  which  would  determine  the  judgment  of  the 
Destroying  Fate. 

Of  all  this  intrigue,  in  which  he  was  soon  to  be  involved, 
Roylands  was  quite  ignorant,  as  he  already  had  his  plan  of 
action  sketched  out.  He  would  go  to  Melnos  with  Constan- 
tine  Caliphronas,  he  would  see  this  dream-woman  in  the 
flesh,  and  if  she  came  up  to  his  ideal,  he  would  marry  her,  at 
whatever  cost.  Alas  for  the  schemes  of  clever  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton !  they  were  all  at  an  end,  simply  because  a  man  had  seen 
a  pretty  face,  which  he  elevated  into  the  regions  of  romance, 
and  made  attractive  with  strange  mysteries  of  fanciful  attri- 
butes. But  Mrs.  Dengelton  did  not  know  this,  and,  igno- 
rance being  bliss,  still  hinted  to  Maurice  of  matrimony,  still 
threw  him  into  the  company  of  Eunice  ;  while,  as  a  check- 
mate to  her  plans,  and  to  aid  Crispin,  Maurice  still  puzzled 
the  good  lady  with  hints  of  marriage  one  day,  and  neglect  of 
Eunice  the  next.  Eunice  herself  saw^  through  it  all,  and 
was  duly  grateful  to  Maurice  ;  so  the  only  blind  person  was 
Mrs.  Dengelton,  who  but  perceived  the  delightful  future 
which  might  be,  not  the  disturbing  present  that  was ;  if  she 
had,  her  lamentations  would  have  surpassed  those  of  Jere- 
miah in  bitterness  and  violence. 

On  such  an  important  matter  as  going  to  the  East  in  search 
of  a  mistress  for  Roylands  Grange,  Maurice  felt  naturally 
anxious  to  consult  his  old  tutor,  and  accordingly  one  morn- 
ing walked  over  to  the  Rectory,  where  he  found  Mr.  Carris- 
ton  as  usual  pottering  about  among  his  rose-trees.  The  hot 
sun  of  July  blazed  down  on  that  garden  of  loveliness,  and 
the  sweet-smelling  roses  burned  like  constellations  of  red 
stars  amid  the  cool  green  of  their  surrounding  leaves. 

"  This  is  decidedly  a  rose-year,"  said  the  good  Rector  ap- 
provingly, as  he  looked  at   the  brilliance   around   him  j  "  I 


112  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

have  never  seen  such  a  fine  show  of  flowers.  My  nightin- 
gales should  sing  their  sweetest  here,  if  the  tale  of  their 
love  for  the  rose  be  true.  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  glow  of 
color,  Maurice  ? 

*  Vidi  Paestano  candere  rosaria  cultu 
Exoriente  novo  roscida  Lucifero.' 

But  I  don't  think  the  poet  saw  finer  roses  than  mine,  even 
in  Southern  Italy." 

"  '  Hosa  regina  Jlorum,^  "  remarked  Maurice,  smiling. 

"  Eh !  you  match  my  quotation  from  Ausonius  with  a 
wretched  little  saying  culled  from  your  first  Latin  reading- 
book.  My  dear  lad,  I  am  afraid  my  labor  has  been  in  vain, 
for  your  Latin  is  primitive." 

"  No  doubt  it  is,"  assented  Maurice  cordially,  "  but  I  have 
not  the  gift  of  tongues.  I  would  that  I  had,  as  it  will  be 
necessary  in  the  East." 

"  The  East  I  "  repeated  Carriston,  sitting  down  under  his 
favorite  elm-tree.  "  What  is  this  ?  Are  you  thinking  of 
visiting  the  cradle  of  humanity  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  the  summer  is  nearly  over,  so  like  a  swallow  I  wish 
to  fly  south  to  the  blue  seas  of  Greece." 

"  '  Tous  les  ans  j'y  vais  et  je  niche 
Aux  metopes  du  Parthenon,'  " 

quoted  the  Rector  genially.  "  Do  you  know  Gautier's  charm- 
ing poem  ?  I  wish  I  could  go  with  you  to  see  the  land  of 
Aristophanes." 

"Why  not  come  ?" 

"  Nay,  I  am  too  old  a  tree  to  be  transplanted.  The  come- 
dies alone  must  take  me  on  the  wings  of  fancy  to  Athens. 
What  would  my  parishioners  do  without  me  ?  or  my  roses, 
for  the  matter  of  that  ?  Still,  I  would  like  to  be  your  trav- 
elling companion,  and  we  could  visit  together  those  places 
which  we  read  of  in  your  days  of  pupilage.  You  will  see 
Colonos,  where  the  Sophoclean  nightingales  still  sing;  and 
the  Acropolis  of  Athena  Glaucopis,  the  ringing  plains  of 
windy  Troy,  and  the  birthplace  of  the  Delian  Apollo.  Truly 
the  youth  of  to-day  are  to  be  envied,  seeing  how  easy  travel 
has  been  made  by  steam.  Happy  Maurice !  the  Iron  Age 
will  enable  you  to  view  the  Golden  Age  with  but  small 
difficulty." 

"  Yes,  I  will  be  delighted  to  see  all  those  famous  places 
you  have  mentioned,  sirj  but  I  have  a  stronger  reason." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  113 

"  Indeed  !     And  that  reason  ?  " 

"  Is  this." 

Maurice  placed  tlie  portrait  of  Helena  in  the  hands  of  his 
old  tutor,  and  awaited  in  silence  his  next  remark.  Mr. 
Carriston  adjusted  his  pince-nez,  and  gazed  long  and  earnestly 
at  the  perfect  beauty  of  the  woman's  countenance. 

"  •  Is  this  the  face  that  launched  a  thousand  ships  ?  '  "  he 
quoted  from  Marlowe  ;  "upon  my  word,  I  would  not  be  sur- 
prised to  hear  it  was.  A  beautiful  woman,  Maurice  ;  she  has 
the  loveliness  of  the  Argive  Helen." 

"  And  the  name  also ;  she  is  called  Helena." 

"  Ah  !  then  I  understand  she  is  a  real  w^oman  ?  " 

"  Flesh  and  blood,  according  to  Caliphronas." 

The  Eector  put  down  the  picture  with  a  sudden  movement 
of  irritation  quite  foreign  to  his  usual  courtly  manner. 

"I  do  not  like  Count  Caliphronas,"  he  said  abruptly. 
"  Did  he  give  you  this  portrait  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Humph  !  And  may  I  ask  whom  it  is  intended  to  repre- 
sent ?  " 

"  A  Greek  girl,  called  Helena,  who  lives  in  the  Island  of 
Fantasy." 

"  The  Island  of  Fantasy  ?  "  repeated  the  Rector  in  a  puz- 
zled tone. 

"  I  mean  the  Island  of  Melnos,  in  the  southern  archipelago 
of  Greece." 

"How  did  it  come  by  the  extraordinary  name  of  Fan- 
tasy ?  " 

"  Caliphronas  called  it  so,"  said  Maurice  carelessly. 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments,  and  the  Rector 
rubbed  his  nose  in  a  vexed  manner,  as  he  by  no  means  ap- 
proved of  the  frequent  introduction  of  the  Greek's  name 
into  the  conversation,  but  hardly  saw  his  way  how  to  prevent 
it.  At  length  he  determined  to  leave  the  matter  in  abeyance 
for  the  present,  and  reverted  to  the  question  of  Helena. 

"  Is  it  for  the  sake  of  this  woman  you  are  going  to  the 
Levant  ?  "  he  asked,  picking  up  the  picture  and  tapping  it 
with  his  pince-nez. 

"Yes." 

"  Is  this  not  rather  a  mad  freak  ?  " 

Maurice  did  not  answer  for  a  moment,  but  moved  uneasily 
in  his  seat ;  for,  although  he  was  quite  prepared  to  be  dis- 
couraged in  his  project  by  the  Rector,  he  by  no  means  liked 
the  displeased  tone  in  which  he  spoke.    Mr.  Carriston  waited 


114  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

for  an  answer  to  his  question,  so  Maurice  was  at  length 
forced  to  give  him  one,  and  burst  out  into  a  long  speech,  so 
as  to  give  his  tutor  no  opportunity  of  making  any  remark 
until  he  had  heard  all  the  views  in  favor  of  such  Quixotism. 

"  I  daresay  it  is  a  mad  freak,  sir,  but  not  so  very  insane  if 
3^ou  look  upon  it  from  my  point  of  view.  You  know  I  have 
never  been  in  love  —  true,  I  have  always  been  fond  of  women 
and  delighted  in  their  society,  but  I  have  never  had  what 
you  would  call  a  passionate  attachment  in  my  life,  nor  did  I 
think,  until  a  few  days  ago,  I  was  capable  of  such  a  thing. 
But  when  Caliphronas  was  sitting  to  me  for  Endymion,  he 
happened  to  let  fall  that  portrait,  and  told  me  it  was  one  he 
had  taken  of  a  Greek  girl  at  Melnos.  As  I  admired  the 
beauty  of  the  face,  he  made  me  a  present  of  the  picture, 
and  my  admiration  has  merged  itself  in  a  deeper  feeling, 
that  of  love.  Oh,  I  know,  sir,  what  you  will  say,  that  such 
a  passion  is  chimerical,  seeing  I  have  never  beheld  this 
woman  in  the  flesh,  but  I  feel  too  strongly  on  the  subject  to 
think  I  am  the  victim  of  a  heated  imagination.  I  love  this 
woman  —  I  adore  her  !  she  is  present  with  me  day  and  night. 
Not  only  her  face  —  no  !  It  is  very  beautiful,  but  I  can  see 
below  that  beauty.  She  has  a  soul,  a  lovely  pure  soul,  which 
I  worship,  and  I  am  anxious  to  see  the  actual  living,  breath- 
ing woman,  so  as  to  make  her  my  wife." 

"  Your  wife  !     Are  you  mad,  boy  ?  " 

'^  No,  I  am  not  mad,  unless  you  call  love  a  madness.  Oh, 
I  know  it  is  easy  for  one  to  advise  calmly  on  the  woes  of 
others.  But  can  you  not  feel  for  me  ?  You  have  been  in 
love,  Mr.  Carriston,  and  you  know  how  such  a  passion  over- 
whelms the  strongest  man.  Caution,  thought,  restraint, 
prudence,  are  all  swept  away  by  the  torrent.  It  is  no  use 
saying  that  this  passion  I  feel  will  pass,  for  I  know  it  will 
not ;  it  is  part  of  my  life.  Till  I  die  I  will  see  that  face 
before  me,  sleeping  or  waking.  Why,  then,  should  I  pass 
the  rest  of  my  days  in  torture  when  I  can  alleviate  such 
mental  suffering  ?  I  am  going  to  this  unknown  island,  I  will 
see  this  unknown  woman,  and  if  she  comes  up  to  the  ideal 
being  I  have  created  from  the  picture  in  my  mind,  I  will 
marry  her.  It  may  not  be  wise,  it  may  not  be  suitable ;  but 
it  is,  and  will  be  inevitable." 

The  old  man  listened  in  astonishment  to  this  lava-torrent 
of  words  which  swept  everything  before  it.  He  could  hardly 
recognize  his  former  calm-tempered  pupil  in  this  young  man, 
whose  flashing  eyes,  eloquent  gestures,  and  rapid  speech 
betrayed  the  strength  of  the  passion  which  consumed  him. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  115 

« ^  Ira  hrevis  est/  "  quoth  the  Rector  wisely ;  "  I  think  love 

''  ^^MyTadness  of  love  will  last  all  my  life  -yes,  forever  !  " 
''  Forever  is  a  long  time."  -,   •     ojj 

"  Rector,"  said  Maurice  entreatingly, "  what  do  you  advise? 
-I  advise  nothing,  dear  lad,"  replied  Carriston  quietly; 
''  what  is  the  use  of  my  giving  advice  which  is  opposed  to 
your  own  desires,  and  therefore  will  be  rejected  ^ 
^   '' True  '  true  !  "  muttered  Maurice,  frowning.     "I  must  go 
to  Melnos  and  convince  myself  of  the  truth  of  t^e  master 
See  here,  sir,  at  present  I  am  worshipping  a  creature  of  iny 
own  creation,  with  the  face  of   that  picture,  but  with  the 
attributes  of  fancy.     This  chimera  of  the  brain,  as  you  wil 
doubtless  term  her,  haunts  me  night  and  day,  so  the  only  way 
to  lay  this  feminine  ghost  is  to  see  her  incarnate  m  the  flesh 
She  may  be  quite  different  from  what  I  conceive  m  which  case 
I  will  be  cured  of  my  fancy;   on  the  other  hand,  she  may 
realize  entirely  my  conception  of  beauty,  purity,  and  woman- 
liness:  if  she  does,  I  will  make   her  my  wife,  that  is,  of 
course,  if  she  will  have  me  for  her  husband. 

"As  you  put  the  matter  in  that  light,"  said  Mr.  Carriston, 
after  a  pause,  "  I  advise  you  to  go  to  Melnos.' 

a  You  do  '^ "  .         • 

"  Decidedly  !  It  is  best  to  end  this  torture  of  the  imagina- 
tion, which  I  also  know  only  too  well.  See  this  woman,  if 
you  like,  but  be  sure  she  is  all  you  desire  her  to  be  before 
making  her  your  wife."  . 

"  There  is  no  fear  that  I  will  let  my  heart  govern  my  bram 
in  such  an  important  matter." 

"  There  is  a  great  fear,"  replied  the  Rector  gravely,  glan- 
cing at  the  picture  ;  "  a  young  man's  heart  is  not  always  under 
his  control;  and  this  woman  has  the  beauty  which  inspires 
madness.  Helen  of  Troy,  Cleopatra  of  Egypt,  Mary  of  Scot- 
land, Ninon  de  I'Enclos  of  France,  they  were  all  Lamise,  ana 
their  beauty  was  ever  fatal  to  their  victims." 
"Lovers,"  corrected  Maurice  quickly. 

"  Victims,"  reiterated  Carriston  firmly  •,  "  or,  if  you  wiii, 
lovers,  for  the  terms  are  synonymous."  .      -n.     4-  • 

"  Well,  I  will  take  your  advice,  sir,  and  go  to  the  iLast  m 
search  of  this  lovely  Helena  of  Melnos,  but  I  promise  you  i 
will  not  be  a  victim." 

"  I  hope  not,  but  I  fear  so."  -,  ^    v 

«  You  need  not,"  said  Roylands  gayly,  delighted  to  have 
won  over  the  Rector  to  his  side.  "  I  will  come  back  alone, 
cured,  or  with  a  wife,  and  more  in  love  than  ever. 


116  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY, 

"  How  will  you  find  this  island  .^  " 

"  Oh,  Caliphronas  "  — 

"As  beautiful  and  as  false  as  Paris  of  Troy,"  interrupted 
the  Rector  quickly,  whereat  Maurice  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Possibly  he  is,  but  I  do  not  think  I  have  anything  to 
fear  from  him." 

"There  is  certainly  no  reason  why  he  should  be  your 
enemy,  yet  I  feel  convinced  he  is  so." 

"  Why  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  unless  I  advance  the  Dr.  Fell  theory  as 
an  argument ;  but,  to  speak  openly,  my  dear  Maurice,  this 
Greek  seems  to  me  to  be  like  a  sleek,  soft-footed  panther, 
beautiful  to  look  on,  but  dangerous  to  meddle  with." 

"  I  am  not  going  to  meddle  with  him.  He  is  simply  return- 
ing to  his  home  in  Greek  waters,  and  I  will  go  with  him. 
After  we  reach  Melnos,  very  likely  he  will  return  to  Ithaca." 

"  Perhaps." 

"  My  dear  old  tutor,"  cried  the  young  man,  laughing,  "  you 
are  full  of  fears,  first  of  this  Helena,  again  of  this  Greek. 
Ten  to  one  I  will  find  both  equally  harmless." 

"  I  trust  so ;  but  I  do  not  like  your  travelling  alone  with 
this  Count  Constantine." 

"  I  am  not  going  to  do  so.     Crispin  is  coming  also." 

"  Ah  ! "  said  Carriston  in  a  satisfied  tone  ;  "  I  am  glad  of 
that,  for  I  like  that  young  man  very  much.  I  am  sure  he  is 
an  honorable,  straightforward  fellow." 

"You  are  inconsistent.  His  life  is  as  mysterious  as  that 
of  Caliphronas,  yet  you  trust  the  one  and  mistrust  the  other." 

"I  do  ;  it  is  a  matter  of  instinct.  Well,  here  is  your 
Helena ;  I  hope  you  will  find  the  original  as  beautiful  as  the 
picture." 

"  I  hope  so  too,"  answered  Maurice,  restoring  the  photo- 
graph to  his  pocket. 

"  By  the  way,"  observed  the  Rector  abruptly,  "  what  about 
Eunice  ?  " 

"Oh,  she  will  not  mourn  me,  for  she  has  already  consoled 
herself  with  Crispin." 

"Humph!  I  thought  as  much;  and  what  does  your  mint 
say  ?  " 

"  She  says  nothing  because  she  knows  nothing." 

"  Do  you  think  that  is  wise  ?  " 

"  No,  I  do  not ;  so  I  am  going  to  ask  Crispin  to  exphiin 
who  he  is,  what  he  is,  and  all  about  himself,  before  he  leaves 
with  me  for  the  East.     If  his  replies  are  satisfactory,  I  will 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  117 

try  and  persuade  my  dear  aunt  to  consent  to  the  match ;  but 
you  may  depend  upon  it,  my  dear  Kector,  if  I  find  anything 
wrong  with  our  poet,  I  will  do  my  best  to  prevent  his  marriage 
with  my  cousin." 

"  That  is  as  it  should  be,  but  T  fancy  you  will  find  Crispin 
an  honest  man." 

"  You  seem  quite  taken  with  him.'' 

"  Yes ;  I  am  curiously  drawn  to  that  young  man.  Why,  I 
do  not  know ;  but,  from  the  frequent  conversations  I  have 
had  with  him,  he  seems  very  honest  and  good-hearted, 
whereas  your  handsome  Greek  is,  I  am  convinced,  a  worth- 
less scamp." 

"  Well,  we  will  see  how  your  predictions  are  fulfilled.  But 
I  must  be  off,"  continued  Maurice,  glancing  at  his  watch, 
"  it  is  past  one  o'clock.  Will  you  not  come  over  to  luncheon 
with  me  ?  " 

"  What !  and  leave  my  roses,  which  need  water  in  this  hot 
sun !     Go  away,  sir,  and  don't  ask  impossibilities." 

Maurice  laughed  and  went  away,  while  the  Rector  returned 
to  his  roses,  and  thought  over  the  interview.  He  was  doubt- 
ful as  to  the  result  of  Maurice's  quest  for  a  wife,  but,  know- 
ing the  sterling  good  sense  and  honorable  nature  of  his  pupil, 
judged  it  best  to  let  him  take  his  own  way. 

"  Everyman  must  dree  his  weird,"  said  Carriston,  watering- 
pot  in  hand.  "  However  this  journey  turns  out,  it  will  do 
Maurice  good,  for  if  it  does  not  gain  him  a  wife,  it  will  at 
least  banish  the  evil  spirit  which  is  spoiling  his  youth." 

Meanwhile  the  object  of  this  soliloquy  was  striding  up  the 
avenue  of  the  Grange  at  a  rapid  pace,  and  whistling  gayly, 
out  of  sheer  light-heartedness.  Never  before  had  he  felt  so 
happy,  a  circumstance  which  suddenly  made  him  pause  in 
his  lilting,  as  he  thought  of  the  saying  of  an  old  Scotch 
nurse. 

"  I  hope  I  am  not  fey,"  he  said  to  himself ;  "  surely  this 
joy  does  not  prognosticate  sorrow.  No ;  I  will  not  look  on  it 
in  that  gloomy  light.  I  am  going  in  search  of  Helen, — 
Coelebs  in  search  of  a  wife,  —  and  if  I  find  her  as  lovely  as 
she  seems  to  be,  why,  then  "  — 

And  he  began  whistling  again,  from  sheer  inability  to 
express  his  feelings  in  cold,  measured  words.  As  he  neared 
the  house,  the  rich  tenor  voice  of  Caliphronas  rang  vibrating 
through  the  still  air.  His  song  was,  as  usual,  one  of  those 
Greek  fragments  he  was  so  fend  of  singing,  and  even  the 
modern  Greek  tongue,  debased  as  it  w^as  by  centuries  of  for- 


118  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

eigu  influences,  sounded  pliable  and  liquid  as  the  vowelled 
words  soared  upward  like  swift-darting  swallows.  How 
bare  and  bleak  seems  the  translation,  bereft  of  its  Hellenic 
sonorousness  of  speech  !  — 

"  I  will  sail  in  a  beaked  ship,  impelled  by  rowers, 
Over  the  waters  to  westward,  where  Helios  sinks  nightly  in  splendor, 
And  there  in  a  hidden  island  of  dreams 
Will  I  see  my  beloved  smiling  with  starry  eyes. 
Her  arms  will  enfold  me  —  oh,  they  will  clasp  me  so  closely, 
I  will  kiss  her  lips  which  burn  like  scarlet  of  sunset, 
Till  the  nest  of  our  love  will  flow  over  —  flow  over, 
With  delicate  singing,  and  sighings  of  lover  to  lover." 

Caliphronas  was  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  terrace,  with 
his  classic  face  uplifted  to  the  serene  sky,  and,  as  he  sang  the 
song,  with  his  hand  resting  lightly  on  the  white  marble  vase 
near  him,  he  looked  the  incarnation  of  blooming  adolescence. 

"  Ha  !  "  he  cried,  as  Roylands  nimbly  mounted  the  steps  ; 
"  I  was  just  wondering  where  you  were.  What  have  you 
been  doing,  Mr.  Maurice  ?  " 

''  I  have  been  talking  to  the  Rector,  and  for  the  last  few 
moments  I  have  been  watching  you,  my  Attic  nightingale. 
Modern  costume  spoils  you,  Caliphronas,  as  it  would  spoil 
any  one,  so  hideous  is  it.  You  should  be  draped  in  white 
robes,  bear  an  ivory  lyre,  and  minister  to  Apollo  the  Far- 
Darter." 

"  Alas  ! "  sighed  the  Greek,  with  sudden  sadness  in  his 
eyes  ;  "  Pan  is  dead,  and  with  him  Apollo.  I  have  been  born 
too  late,  for  my  soul  is  Athenian,  and  longs  for  the  plane- 
trees  of  Ilissus.  But  enough  of  this  classicism,  and  tell  me 
why  you  look  so  merry." 

"Because  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  go  with  you  to 
Melnos." 

Caliphronas  smiled  in  an  enigmatic  manner,  and  sang  two 
lines  from  his  song, — 

'*  And  there  in  a  hidden  island  of  dreams 
Will  I  see  my  beloved  smiling  with  starry  eyes." 

"  What  do  those  words  mean  ?  "  asked  Maurice  abruptly^ 
"  Ah,  that  you  will  discover  when  we  reach  Melnos  !  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  119 

CHAPTER   XI. 

THE    CREED    OF    A    MOTHER-IN-LAW. 

In  all  good  faith  I  do  believe 
That  sons-in-law  their  wives  deceive ; 
So,  seeing  marriage  is  a  snare, 
My  daughter  needs  her  mother's  care ; 
And  if  tliis  couple  young  be  wise, 
Their  life  tliey'll  let  nie  supervise. 
For  I  can  show  the  wife  the  way 
To  make  the  servants  her  obey, 
Nor  fail  the  husband's  acts  to  see, 
And  rob  him  of  his  midnight  key, 
Improve  his  faults  with  frown  and  snub, 
Insist  he  should  give  up  his  •lub ; 
And  if  he's  an  obedient  boy, 
His  home  will  be  a  place  of  joy. 
Thus  ruling  husband,  home,  and  wife, 
I  will  secure  a  home  for  life. 

"  So  you  have  decided  upon  Eastward  Ho  ?  "  said  Crispin, 
as  Maurice  enveloped  himself  in  clouds  of  smoke. 

They  were  seated  in  the  smoking-room  by  themselves,  for 
the  ladies  had  long  since  retired;  and  Caliphronas,  unable 
to  bear  the  fumes  of  nicotine,  which,  he  averred,  made  his 
eyes  sore  and  his  head  swim,  had  just  gone  off  to  bed.  Thus, 
left  to  that  sweetest  hour  of  the  night  which  is  somewhere 
about  the  stroke  of  twelve  p.m.,  the  poet  and  his  host  had 
established  themselves  in  two  comfortable  arm-chairs,  and, 
each  armed  with  a  pipe,  were  incensing  the  Muse  of  Fancy, 
who  is  frequently  invoked  by  such  worship.  But  the  talk 
of  the  two  was  anything  but  fanciful,  as  they  were  engaged 
in  discussing  their  projected  tour  in  Levantine  waters. 
Maurice  was  rather  glad  Caliphronas  retired  so  early,  as  he  was 
anxious  to  have  a  quiet  conversation  with  Crispin,  and  what 
better  time  or  place  could  he  have,  than  nearly  midnight  in 
the  smoking-room,  with  the  soothing  weed,  and  the  exhila- 
rating whiskey  diluted  with  soda,  to  stimulate  tho  drowsy 
brain. 

It  is  wonderful  how  men  at  this  mystic  hour  unbosom 
themselves  the  one  to  the  other,  and  tell  secrets  which  they 
certainly  would  not  reveal  in  the  daytime.  Maurice  knew 
this  peculiarity  of  midnight  confabulations,  and  perhaps 
thought  that  Crispin  would  take  him  into  his  conhdence  ; 
but  if  he  did  think  so  he  was  disappointed,  for  Crispin  kept 


120  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

his  own  counsel  and  held  his  tongue,  save  indeed  to  talk 
generally  about  things  Maurice  was  well  acquainted  with. 

'"  So  3^ou  have  decided  upon  Eastward  Ho  ?  "  said  Crispin 
for  the  second  time,  finding  that  Maurice  did  not  reply  im- 
mediately, which  negligence  was  due  to  the  fact  that  he 
wished  to  speak  to  the  poet  about  Eunice,  and  was  doubtful 
of  the  wisdom  of  such  a  step.  The  second  time  of  asking 
this  question,  however,  aroused  him  from  his  musings,  and 
he  answered  at  once. 

*'  Yes.  I  had  a  conversation  with  the  Rector  this  morning, 
and  I  have  decided  to  travel  abroad  for  a  year  or  so." 

"  Do  you  mean  a  general  tour  of  the  world,  or  a  special 
part  ?  • ' 

"  A  special  part.     I  am  going  to  Greece." 

^'  Oh  !     The  mainlands  or  the  islands  ?  " 

"  The  latter." 

"  In  that  case,  I  know  where  you  are  going,"  said  Crispin, 
carefully  shaking  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe  ;  "  your  destina- 
tion is  the  Island  of  Melnos." 

"  It  is,"  replied  Maurice  in  some  surprise.  "  Do  you  know 
Melnos  ?  " 

"  Very  well.  I  also  know  the  woman  you  are  going  to 
see." 

'^  Helena  ?  How  do  you  know  that  ?  I  have  told  you 
nothing  about  it." 

"  No  ;  but  Caliphronas  mentioned  something  .about  your 
spiritual  passion  for  that  picture." 

This  was  mere  guess-work,  as  Caliphronas  had  mentioned 
nothing  of  the  sort ;  but  Crispin  was  so  well  aware  of  the 
deep  game  which  the  Greek  was  playing,  that  he  had  no 
difficulty  in  arriving  at  a  fair  conclusion  concerning  his 
tactics.  Maurice  was,  however,  ignorant  of  Crispin's  knowl- 
edge, and  at  once  assumed  that  Caliphronas  had  been  dis- 
cussing his  passion  for  this  pictured  Helena  with  the  poet, 
perhaps  laughing  at  it,  and  his  pride  was  up  in  arms  at  once. 

"  Caliphronas  has  no  right  to  speak  to  you  about  my 
private  affairs,"  he  said  angrily.  "  I  intended  to  tell  you 
myself,  but  now  he  has  forestalled  me.  I  did  not  know  he 
was  such  a  gossip." 

"Nor  is  he.  I  said  he  told  me,  and  so  he  did,  indirectly  ; 
but  if  I  did  not  know  Caliphronas,  Helena,  and  Melnos,  I 
would  still  be  in  the  dark  concerning  your  projected  jour- 
ney." 

"  Where  is  this  Island  of  Fantasy  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  121 

Crispin  looked  up  with  a  quick  smile. 

"  Oh,  he  told  you  the  name  Justinian  calls  it !  The  Island 
of  Fantasy  in  imagination,  and  Molnos  in  reality,  is  situated 
in  the  southern  portion  of  the  ^gean  Sea,  beyond  Paros, 
beyond  Amorgos,  nay,  even  beyond  Anapli.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  it  is  a  little-known  island,  hidden,  to  speak  exactly,  in 
the  Cretan  Sea,  between  Telos  and  Crete." 

"  I  thought  I  was  rather  good  at  geography,  but  I  never 
heard  of  the  Island  of  Melnos  before.  Has  it  anything  to 
do  with  the  Island  of  Melos  ?  " 

'-  No  ;  that  is  more  to  the  north.  But  I  do  not  wonder  at 
your  ignorance,  as  Melnos  is  known  only  to  the  sailors  and 
shepherds  who  are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  that  portion 
of  the  Archipelago." 

"  What  kind  of  an  island  is  it  ?  " 

"  A  mountain  —  a  volcanic  mountain,  extinct  of  course  for 
the  present,  though  I  would  not  be  surprised  if  it  blew  up 
one  day  and  sent  Justinian  flying  in  the  air  with  all  his 
subjects." 

''  Is  this  Justinian  a  king,  that  you  talk  about  his  sub- 
jects ?  " 

"  Well,  a  kind  of  minor  king,  such  as  Odysseus  might  have 
been.     I  know  him  very  well." 

"  And  Helena  ?  " 

"Is  his  daughter." 

"  His  daughter  !  "  repeated  Maurice  gravely.  *^  Is  she  as 
beautiful  as  this  portrait  shows  her  to  be  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  more  so,"  replied  Crispin,  taking  the  pho- 
tograph. "  Here  you  only  get  absolute  stillness  ;  the  great 
charm  of  Helena  lies  in  the  changeful  expression  of  her  face, 
and  in  her  bright  manner.  Yes,  she  is  altogether  charming, 
and  I  do  not  wonder  you  have  fallen  in  love  with  her  face, 
even  though  this  photograph  fails  to  do  justice  to  the 
original." 

In  spite  of  his  passion  for  Helena,  which  should  have  made 
him  delight  in  these  praises  of  her  beauty,  Maurice  did  not 
pay  much  attention  to  Crispin's  speech,  as  he  was  thinking 
deeply,  and  the  current  of  his  thoughts  was  indicated  by  his 
next  remark. 

"Crispin,  you  said  Caliphronas  was  merely  a  chance  ac- 
quaintance you  met  at  Athens  ;  but,  as  far  as  I  can  judge 
from  the  hints  you  drop,  I  believe  you  know  him  very  well." 

"  That  is  the  real  truth,"  replied  Crispin,  without  flinching. 
"  I  did  meet  this  Greek  at  Athens,  but  I  knew  him  before 


122  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

that  —  in  Melnos.  Oh,  I  can  tell  you  many  things  which 
would  astonish  you,  but  I  cannot  do  so  yet." 

'-  Why  not  ?  " 

"Because  I  have  strong  reasons  for  such  reticence,"  said 
the  poet  coldly ;  "  either  trust  me  in  all  or  not  at  all. 
This  journey  you  are  undertaking  means  more  than  you 
think,  but  I  will  not  fail  you,  and  as  long  as  I  am  by  your 
side  you  will  take  no  hurt." 

"  Are  we  in  the  Middle  Ages  ?  Is  Caliphronas  a  free- 
booter, that  you  talk  as  if  I  were  in  danger  ?  " 

'^  I  will  explain  all  some  day,  and  you  will  be  rather  aston- 
ished at  my  story." 

"  I  suppose  there  is  nothing  wrong  in  your  story  ?  " 

"  No.  When  I  tell  all  about  myself  and  my  past  life,  I 
think  it  will  satisf}^  not  only  you  — but  Mrs.  Dengelton." 

"  It  is  on  her  account  that  1  made  that  rather  rude  remark, 
for,  unless  you  can  prove  your  name,  your  position,  and  your 
income  to  be  satisfactory,  she  will  never  consent  to  your 
marriage  with  Eunice." 

"  As  to  my  name,"  said  Crispin,  coloring  a  little  at  such 
plain  speaking,  "  I  hope  to  prove  that  spotless,  my  position 
will  be  beyond  reproach,  and  my  income  is  larger  than  your 
own." 

"  You  are  wealthy,  then  ?  " 

"  I  am  certainly  well  off,  and  I  will  give  you  my  story  at 
some  later  date,  but  at  present  I  will  answer  no  more  of  your 
questions.'* 

"And  Mrs.  Dengelton?" 

"  I  am  going  to  speak  to  her  to-morrow  morning,  so  as  to 
put  things  right  before  I  leave  England.  Oh,  I  am  not  afraid 
of  being  absent.  Eunice  loves  me,  and  will  l3e  true,  while  as 
to  her  mother,  I  can  win  that  lady  on  to  my  side,  and  will  do 
so  to-morrow." 

"  You  are  an  enigma,  Crispin." 

"  I  am  ;  but,  as  I  said  before,  I  can  explain  myself  to  your 
satisfaction,  and  intend  doing  so  when  I  consider  it  wise. 
But  you  must  trust  me." 

"I  do  trust  you." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  ask  too  many  questions  for  absolute 
trust,"  said  the  poet  dryly,  relighting  his  pipe. 

"  I  will  ask  you  no  more  —  save  one." 

"  Well  ?  " 

"  Is  Caliphronas  to  be  trusted  ?  " 

"  As  long  as  I  am  with  you,  yes." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  123 

"  Ah,  you  have  some  power  over  him  ?  " 

<'  Now  you  are  asking  questions  again." 

''  I  beg  your  pardon ;  but  do  tell  me  about  Caliphronas  ! " 

Crispin  paused  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  consider  how  he 
would  reply  to  this  remark. 

••  Caliphronas,"  he  said  at  length  slowly,  "  is  a  man  who  is 
a  slave  to  his  own  vices,  and  gratifies  himself  at  all  costs. 
He  lets  no  one  stand  in  the  way  of  such  self-gratification ; 
but  whether  you  are  an  obstacle  or  not  remains  to  be  seen. 
At  all  events,  you  have  elected  k)  trust  me,  mysterious  as  I 
am,  and  I  promise  you  on  my  word  of  honor  that  you  shall 
have  no  reason  to  regret  that  trust.  I  foresee  difficulties 
ahead,  but  these  you  need  not  be  afraid  of  as  long  as  I  am 
by  your  side.  You  will  leave  Koylands  Avith  me,  and  you 
will  return  with  me,  and  I  give  you  my  word  you  will  not  be 
a  bit  the  worst  for  your  journey,  nay,  I  hope  you  will  be 
the  better." 

"  One  would  think  we  were  going  to  Timbuctoo,  the  way 
you  talk,"  said  Maurice  crossly.  "  You  have  no  idea  how 
these  enigmatic  speeches  pique  my  curiosity." 

"  Well,  such  curiosity  I  will  gratify  —  shortly." 

"But"  — 

"You  said  you  would  trust  me,  and  ask  no  more  ques- 
tions." 

"  I  do  trust  you,  and  I  will  not." 

Certainly  he  could  not  complain  of  a  lack  of  interest  in 
life  now:  this  mysterious  woman  Helena,  these  equally  mys- 
terious individuals,  Crispin  and  Caliphronas,  —  all  three 
riddles.  Surely  the  son  of  Laius  was  never  so  bothered  by 
enigmas  as  was  this  young  country  squire.  However,  it 
added  new  zest  to  the  wine  of  life,  and  gave  him  something 
to  look  forward  to,  so  on  the  whole  Maurice  was  enjoying 
himself. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Crispin  lazily,  after  a  pause,  "  how  are 
you  going  to  Melnos  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  exactly.  Go  by  train  to  Venice,  I  sup- 
pose, and  take  an  Austrian  Lloyd  steamer  from  there,  or 
leave  Marseilles  by  the  French  packet  which  goes  to  Athens. 
Once  at  the  Piraeus,  and  there  won't  be  much  difficulty  in 
exploring  the  Archipelago  in  search  of  your  Island  of  Fan- 
tasy. To  tell  you  the  truth,  however,  as  I  only  made  up  my 
mind  this  morning,  I  have  not  yet  looked  up  routes,  steamers, 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  but  intend  to  go  to  town  next 
week  and  find  out  all  about  them." 


124  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  There  will  be  no  need,"  said  Crispin  quietly ;  "  you  can 
come  to  Greece  in  my  yacht." 

^'  Your  yacht!     Wh}^,  I  did  not  know  you  had  one." 

"  I  know  you  didn't.  Because  I  am  a  poet,  you  necessarily 
think  I  am  poor,  which  is  a  mistake.  I  am  sufficiently  well 
off  to  keep  a  hundred  and  fifty  ton  steam  yacht,  which  is  at 
present  13'ing  at  Southampton,  ready  to  start  when  I  wish. 
A  poet  and  a  yacht  sound  incongruous,  I  admit ;  and  I  sup- 
pose I  am  the  first  rhyme-stringer  who  ever  possessed  such 
an  article,  unless  you  except  Shelley's  boat  partnership  with 
Trelawny.  But  that  was  a  small  boat ;  my  craft  is  a  genuine 
steam  yacht,  and  in  it  I  explore  unknown  seas.  You  look 
astonished." 

"I  am  astonished.     You  are  a  poet-millionnaire." 

"  Not  quite  as  wealthy  as  that,  and  I  need  hardly  tell  you 
I  did  not  pay  for  the  yacht  out  of  my  poems.  But,  of  course, 
you  will  come  with  me  to  Greece  in  The  Eunice." 

"  Eunice  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  she  was  called  The  Aphrodite,  but  I  rechristened 
her  The  Eunice  out  of  compliment  to  you  know  whom." 

"  Have  you  any  more  surprises  in  store  ?  " 

"  Plenty,"  replied  Crispin,  rising  with  a  yawn ;  "  but  this 
one  is  quite  enough  to  keep  you  awake  for  a  night.  Oh 
dear,  I  am  so  sleepy  !  " 

"  Wait  a  minute.  Does  Caliphronas  know  you  are  a  yacht- 
owner  ?" 

"No;  I  expect  he  will  be  surprised  and  confoundedly 
jealous." 

"Jealous!     Why?" 

"  Because  he  thinks  all  the  good  things  of  this  life  should 
go  his  way.     But  you  have  not  yet  given  me  your  answer." 

"  Oh,  I  will  come  by  all  means." 

"And  so  will  our  mutual  friend,  the  Greek.  What  a 
happy  family  we  will  be  !  Well,  good-night.  I  wish  Eunice 
was  coming  in  her  namesake." 

"  And  Mrs.  Dengelton,"  said  Maurice  mischievously,  light- 
ing his  candle. 

"No;  in  my  wildest  dreams  I  never  wished  that.  She 
would  want  to  be  captain  of  the  ship.  However,  I  am  going 
to  astonish  my  future  mother-in-law  to-morrow ;  so  I  must 
take  a  good  night's  rest,  and  husband  my  strength  for  the 
encounter.     Good-night,  once  more." 

"  Good-night,  Crispin." 

They  both  retired  to  their  respective  rooms,  and  Maurice 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  125 

fell  asleep  wondering  who  Crispin  was,  from  what  source  he 
derived  wealth  enough  to  keep  a  yacht,  and  what  connection 
he  had  with  Caliphronas.  All  these  things  mixed  together 
in  his  drowsy  brain  until  the  real  world  faded  away,  and  he 
dreamed  he  was  at  Melnos,  trying,  like  another  Paris,  to 
carry  off  Helena,  while  Caliphronas,  in  the  guise  of  Mene- 
laus,  prevented  such  elopement. 

Next  day  the  brilliant  sun  had  disappeared,  and  there  was 
a  gray  veil  of  clouds  drawn  across  the  sky,  which  neutralized 
the  brilliant  tints  of  the  summer's  luxuriance  of  foliage  and 
flowers.  Caliphronas,  ever  impressionable  to  atmospheric 
changes,  shivered  at  the  dreary  look  which  now  spread  over 
the  earth,  and  it  needed  all  his  animal  spirits  to  sustain  his 
normal  condition  of  careless  joy.  Even  then  he  lacked  his 
ordinary  exuberance  of  life,  and  it  appeared  as  if  a  great 
portion  of  his  vitality  disappeared  with  the  sun. 

"  St.  Theodore  !  -'  he  said  to  Mrs.  Dengelton,  as  they  looked 
out  of  the  window  at  the  gray  landscape ;  ^^do  you  often  have 
this  weather  here  ?  " 

"  No,  not  often,"  she  replied,  in  a  tone  of  regret ;  "  I  wish 
we  did." 

"  What !  this  dulness,  this  melancholy,  this  want  of 
color !  " 

"  Why,  my  dear  Count,  it  is  a  most  beautiful  day  !  "  cried 
the  lady,  with  great  vivacity ;  "  what  have  you  to  complain 
of?" 

"  Complain  of  ? "  The  Greek's  face  was  a  study  as  he 
repeated  her  words,  and  he  stared  at  her  in  surprise.  "  W^hy, 
I  complain  of  this  want  of  sunlight ;  it  is  not  like  yesterday, 
which  was  passable." 

"  Passable  !  "  echoed  Mrs.  Dengelton,  surprised  in  her  turn. 
"  Why,  Count,  since  you  have  come  to  Roylands,  the  weather 
has  been  simply  perfection.  How  long  have  you  been  in 
England  ?  " 

"  Two  months." 

''  Then  you  must  have  had  this  lovely  weather  all  along. 
You  are  an  exceptionally  lucky  man,  Count  Constantine,  for 
you  have  seen  England  at  her  best." 

"  Why,  have  you  worse  days  than  this  ?  "  asked  Caliphronas, 
with  a  shudder. 

''  Infinitely  worse,"  said  Eunice,  who  at  this  moment  joined 
them  with  Crispin:  "fog,  snow,  rain,  hail,  mist  —  oh,  you 
don't  know  the  capabilities  of  the  English  climate ! " 

'^I  am  glad  I  am  going  away,"  observed  Caliphronas,  with 


126  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

a  sigh  of  relief ;  ^'  this  place  would  kill  me.  Gray  skies, 
small  cultivated  landscapes,  ugly  cities,  sad-looking  men  and 
women.  Oh,  great  saints !  what  do  you  know  of  life  or 
pleasure  ?  " 

*'I  assure  you,  my  dear  Count,"  began  Mrs.  Dengelton 
sweetly,  "  that  in  the  season  "  — 

"  What  is  the  season  ?  " 

"  The  London  season,  which  begins  in  May." 

"  Oh,  that  is  what  I  have  seen.  Up  all  night,  tired  all 
day,  crowded  rooms,  unhealthy  dinners,  plenty  of  talk  about 
nothing,  and  no  rest  —  is  that  what  you  call  the  season  ?  is 
that  what  you  term  life  ?  St.  Theodore  !  let  me  go  back  to 
Greece,  there  at  least  I  can  live." 

'^But  Greece  is  not  like  Loudon,"  said  Crispin,  with  the 
intention  of  provoking  the  Greek. 

''  No,  thank  the  saints,  it  is  not,  as  you  know  well,  Mr. 
Crispin ;  there,  at  least,  are  fresh  air,  laughing  seas,  wide 
plains,  lofty  mountains — one  can  breathe  there  —  one  can 
live  and  delight  in  living,  but  here  —  oh,  pardon  me,  I  can- 
not talk  of  it.  I  must  go  to  Mr.  Maurice  for  the  Endymion, 
and  I  am  glad  I  leave  your  dull  grayness  soon." 

When  Caliphronas  with  this  parting  shot  had  vanished, 
jMrs.  Dengelton  turned  to  Crispin  with  a  pitying  smile. 

"  What  an  impulsive  creature,  is  he  not,  Mr.  Crispin  ?  To 
talk  about  such  barbaric  lands,  and  call  existence  there  life  ! 
Ah,  he  does  not  know  what  enjoyment  is." 

"  I  think  he  does  in  his  own  way,"  replied  Crispin  dryly, 
thinking  of  the  difference  between  the  free,  open-air  exist- 
ence of  the  one,  and  the  narrow,  petty  life  of  the  other. 

'•'  Well,  of  course,  you  know  a  blind  man  never  misses 
color  because  he  does  not  know  what  he  loses,"  said  the  lady 
apologetically.  "That  poor  dear  Count  is  in  exactl}"  the 
same  plight.  Eunice,  my  dear,  I  wish  you  would  go  and 
write  that  letter  to  Lady  Danvers  at  once.  I  want  it  to  catch 
the  noonday  post.  We  go  to  Lady  Danvers  when  we  leave 
here,"  she  added,  as  Eunice  left  the  room.  "  For  my  part,  I 
would  have  been  glad  to  stay  here  till  the  autumn,  but 
dear  Maurice  has  been  ordered  abroad  for  his  health." 

"  Yes,  I  know  he  is  going,"  said  Crispin  coolly ;  "  he  is 
coming  witli  me." 

"  Coming  with  you  ?  "  repeated  Mrs.  Dengelton,  indig- 
nantly, wondering  at  the  presumption  of  this,  as  she  thought, 
poor  poet. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Crispin  equably,  as  he  prepared  to  startle 
the  lady  j  "  he  is  going  to  the  East  in  my  yacht." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  127 

"  Your  yacht !  "  gasped  Mrs.  Dengelton,  in  the  same  tones 
in  which  she  would  have  said,  "  Your  throne  !  "     "I  did  not 

know  you  —  you" —  • -,   r^  •     •      i     i 

•'  Were  rich  enough  to  possess  one,"  said  Crispin  ar}  ]} , 
seeing  the  lady  hesitated.  "Oh,  I  have  had  a  yacht  lor 
many  years.  1  hope  you  and  Miss  Dengelton  will  do  me  the 
iavor  of  coming  a  cruise  in  her  some  day." 

'•  Oh  I  should  be  delighted  ! "  cried  Mrs.  Dengelton,  with 
a  shudder,  for  she  was  a  very  bad  sailor ;  "  but  does  it  not 
take  a  great  deal  of  money  to  keep  up  such  an  expensive 

luxury  ? "  ■  -1 

'^  A  great  deal,"  assented  the  poet,  suppressing  a  smile  as 
he  saw  the  dexterous  way  in  which  Mrs.  Dengelton  was 
trying  to  find  out  the  extent  of  his  income ;  "  but,  fortu- 
nately, I  can  afford  it." 

"How  lucky  you  are!"  sighed  the  lady,  now  adopting  a 
more  polite  tone  towards  this  wealthy  young  man.  "Ah,  it 
is  a  splendid  thing  to  be  rich.  My  late  husband  was  ot  good 
birth,  but  poor,  and  he  did  not  leave  me  very  well  off.  How- 
ever, I  have  a  sufficiently  good  income  to  live  comfortably, 
and  of  course  my  dear  daughter  for  a  companion." 

"  What  will  you  do  when  Miss  Dengelton  marries  ?  " 

"Oh,  I  will  live  with  her  still.  You  see,  young  wives  are 
inexperieiiced,  and  I  could  take  all  that  sort  of  thing  on  my 
shoulders."  . 

Crispin  shuddered,  for  the  prospect  of  living  under  the 
same  roof  with  this  lady  was  anything  but  an  inviting  one. 

"  Of  course,  I  do  not  mind  speaking  freely  to  you,  dear 
Mr.  Crispin,"  pursued  Mrs.  Dengelton,  determined  to  crush 
all  thoughts  Crispin  might  have  regarding  Eunice,  "  because 
you  are  such  a  friend  of  dear  Maurice.  You  know^I  wish 
him  to  marry  his  cousin,  it  would  be  a  perfect  match." 

''  Would  it  ?  "  said  Crispin  grimly. 

"  Yes ;  it  would  keep  the  property  in  the  family,"  said 
Mrs.  Dengelton,  who  had  arrived  at  this  remarkable  conclu- 
sion by  some  means  known  only  to  herself;  "and  then,  of 
course,  this  would  be  my  home,  and  I  could  live  here  with 
my  dear  children.  You  see,  I  speak  openly  to  you,  because 
I  know  you  would  like  to  see  dear  Maurice  happily  married." 

"I  would  indeed,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  but  not  to  yom' 
daughter." 

"  Indeed,  Mr.  Crispin  !  and  why  not  ?  " 

"  Because  I  want  to  marry  her  myself." 

"  Mr.  Crispin ! " 


128  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

If  a  bombshell  liad  dropped  through  the  roof,  Mrs.  Den- 
gelton  could  not  have  been  more  astonished.  She  half 
guessed  that  this  audacious  poet  admired  Eunice,  but  to 
speak  thus  so  boldly,  and  after  she  had  given  her  views  as  to 
the  future  settlement  of  her  daughter  in  matrimony  —  it  was 
too  horrible  !  Who  was  this  man  ?  Nobody  knew.  He  had 
not  even  two  names  like  respectable  people,  and  to  propose 
to  bestow  the  only  one  he  possessed  on  her  daughter,  was 
too  much  for  Mrs.  Dengelton's  powers  of  endurance.  She 
was  actually  dumb  with  astonishment,  and  those  w^ho  had 
once  heard  this  lady's  tongue  could  have  seen  from  that 
alone  how  she  was  thunderstruck.  For  a  minute  she  gazed 
at  Crispin  with  horror-struck  eyes,  but  as  he  did  not  turn 
into  stone  before  that  Medusa  gaze,  or  even  have  the  grace 
to  blush,  Mrs.  Dengelton  recovered  her  powers  of  speech 
with  a  weak  laugh. 

"  Oh,  of  course  you  are  jesting  !  " 

"I  am  not  jesting.     I  wish  to  marry  your  daughter." 

"  Impossible  ! " 

"Why  is  it  impossible  ?  " 

"Oh,  because — because'' —  Mrs.  Dengelton  could  not 
really  bring  herself  to  give  the  real  reasons,  so  fenced  dex- 
terously,—  "Because  you  see,  I  wish  her  to  marry  her 
cousin,  and  keep  the  property  in  the  family." 

"  The  property  will  remain  in  the  family  without  such  a 
marriage,"  said  Crispin  provokingl}^ ;  "  and  as  for  your 
daughter,  she  does  not  love  Maurice." 

"  Not  love  Maurice  ! "  screamed  Mrs.  Dengelton  wrath- 
fully. 

"No,  she  loves  me." 

"  Loves  you  !  "  gasped  the  good  lady  faintly,  feeling  for 
her  smelling-salts.     "  Oh,  this  is  some  horrible  dream  !  " 

"By  no  means,"  replied  Crispin  quietly  ;  "I  really  do  not 
see  why  you  should  make  such  an  uncomplimentary  remark. 
I  love  your  daughter,  and  I  wish  to  marry  her.  Is  there 
anything  extraordinary  in  that  ?  " 

"  Eunice  could  marry  any  one." 

"No  doubt,  but  she  will  not.  I  am  the  only  man  she  will 
marry." 

"  Indeed !  You  forget  her  mother's  consent  is  neces- 
sary." 

"  At  present,  yes,  because  she  is  under  age  —  but  after- 
wards " — 

"  Eunice  Dengelton  will  obey  me  all  her  life,"  said  the  lady 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  129 

furiously ;  "and  I  will  never,  never  consent  to  her  marriage 

with  you,  sir !  " 
"  Why  not  ?  " 
"  Because  I  do    not  know  who    you   are,"  retorted   Mrs. 

Dengelton  tartly. 

"  I  will  satisfy  you  on  that  point  before  the  marriage." 

"  Then  I  do  not  know  if  you  can  support  a  wife." 

''  If  I  can  support  a  yacht,  I  can  certainly  support  a  wife," 

said  Crispin  ironically  ;  "  but  if  you  want  me  to  be  exact  as 

00  figures,  my  income  is  twelve  thousand  a  year." 

"  Twelve  thousand  a  year ! "  gasped  Mrs.  Dengelton  in 
amazement ;   "  why,  you  are  richer  than  Maurice !  " 

"  Yes,  twice  as  rich.  Is  there  any  other  question  you 
would  like  to  ask  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  would  like  to  know  about  your  parents." 

"  I  have  no  parents.     I  am  an  orphan." 

"And  where  do  you  come  from,  Mr.  Crispin?" 

"  From  the  East."" 

"  Heavens  !  "  cried  Mrs.  Dengelton,  as  a  dreadful  thought 
struck  her  ;  "you  are  not  a  Hindoo,  or  a  negro,  or  a 
Hottentot  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  am  certainly  dark,"  replied  the  poet,  laughing. 
"  but  I  am,  as  it  happens,  a  pure-blooded  Englishman.  But 
come  now,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  I  have  answered  your  questions, 
so  in  common  fairness  you  must  answer  mine.  Will  you  let 
me  marry  your  daughter  ?  " 

"I  —  I  —  really  I  don't  know  what  to  say,"  said  Mrs. 
Dengelton,  unwilling  to  let  the  chance  of  such  a  wealthy 
match  slip,  and  yet  doubtful  as  to  the  position  of  the  suitor. 

1  must  think  it  over.     Tell  me  who  you  are." 

"  Not  now.  I  will  satisfy  you  fully  concerning  my  family 
when  I  return  from  Greece." 

'♦  Ah !  am  I  right  in  saying  you  are  going  to  the  East  to 
see  your  relatives  about  this  marriage  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton archly. 

"Partly  right.  I  am  going  as  much  on  your  nephew's 
account  as  my  own." 

"  And  what  is  he  going  for  ?  " 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you,  Mrs.  Dengelton,"  replied  Crispin 
mendaciously,  "you  must  ask  him  that  yourself.  But  as  to 
this  marriage  "  — 

"I  cannot  give  you  an  answer  now  — really  I  cannot." 

"Will  you  give  me  an  answer  when  I  return  from  the 
East  ?  " 


130  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY, 

"  When  will  you  return  ?  '^ 

"  In  three  months.'' 

"  Yes,  I  will  give  you  an  answer  then,"  said  Mrs.  Den  gel- 
ton  glibly,  having  quite  determined  to  throw  Crispin  over, 
should  she  meet  with  a  more  desirable  match  for  her  daughter. 
Crispin  guessed  this  double  dealing,  and  at  once  met  the 
feminine  plot  by  a  masculine  counterplot. 

"  Mrs.  Dengelton,"  he  said  solemnly,  "  I  love  your  daughter, 
and  she  loves  me.  When  I  return  in  three  months  from  the 
East,  I  will  satisfy  you  on  all  points  you  desire  to  know.  If 
those  questions  you  ask  are  answered  to  your  complete  satis- 
faction, will  you  agree  to  our  marriage  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mrs.  Dengelton,  all  the  volubility  fright- 
ened out  of  her,  "  I  will." 

"  Then  give  me  your  word  that  during  my  absence  you 
will  not  try  to  induce  your  daughter  to  marry  any  one 
else." 

"  I  hardly  think  it  is  necessary  to  ask  that,"  said  the  lady, 
wdth  dignity,  though  in  her  heart  of  hearts  she  knew  it  was 
very  necessary,  as  also  did  Crispin,  who  still  pressed  his 
request. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  not  necessary ;  still  I  would  like  your  word 
for  it  that  such  a  thing  will  not  occur." 

"  Well,  well,  I  promise,"  remarked  Mrs.  Dengelton  pee- 
vishly, rising  to  her  feet.  "  What  a  pertinacious  man  you  are, 
Mr.  Crispin  !  Mind,  I  will  not  consent  to  this  marriage 
unless  I  am  thoroughly  satisfied  about  your  position,  income, 
and  family." 

"  I  will  satisfy  you  on  all  those  points,"  rejoined  Crispin, 
with  a  bow,  as  he  held  the  door  open  for  her  to  pass  through. 

"  I  feel  quite  upset,"  said  the  good  lady,  as  she  hastily 
departed.     "  I  am  sure  I  don't  know  what  ^laurice  will  say." 

"  I  do,"  thought  Crispin,  as  he  closed  the  door ;  "  he  will 
be  delighted.  "  I  talk  very  confidently,  but  I  am  doubtful. 
Position  —  yes,  that  is  all  right,  I  am  a  poet ;  money  —  well, 
she  can  hardly  complain  of  twelve  thousand  a  year,  safely 
invested;  family  —  ah,  that  is  the  difficulty  !  I  wonder  if  I 
can  get  the  truth  out  of  Justinian,  he  alone  knows.  I  can- 
not marry  with  only  one  name,  but  I  will  have  two  before  I 
return  from  Melnos,  or  else  "  — 

He  paused,  and  struck  his  fist  hard  against  his  open  hand. 

"  I  will  force  Justinian  to  tell  me,"  he  muttered  between 
his  clinched  teeth.  "  I  also  hold  cards  in  this  game  he  is 
playing,  and  even  with  him  and  Caliphronas  as  adversaries 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  131 

I  will  win.  Maurice  Ko34ands  is  Justinian's  stake,  Helena 
is  the  stake  of  Caliphronas,  as  he  chooses  to  call  himself,  but 
Eunice  is  mine,  and  with  such  a  prize  to  gain  I  am  desperate." 

His  eyes  fell  on  an  open  volume  of  Thomas  a  Kempis, 
which  Mrs.  Dengelton,  in  strange  contrast  to  her  usual 
worldliness,  was  fond  of  reading,  and  he  saw  the  following 
sentence :  — 

•'  Love  desires  to  be  aloft,  and  will  not  be  kept  back  by 
Anything  low  and  mean." 

"I  accept  the  omen,"  he  said,  closing  the  book  slowly. 
"  I  desire  Eunice,  and  no  lowness  or  meanness  of  Justinian 
and  Andros  will  keep  me  back.     I  accept  the  omen." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    NEW    ARGONAUTS. 

From  distant  isles  of  tropic  blooms, 

Enthroned  on  seas  of  hyaline, 

Across  the  waters  smaragdine, 

The  weak  winds  waft  us  faint  perfumes 

Of  incense,  musk,  and  fragrant  balms, 

That  shed  their  scents  'mid  lasting  calms, 

Beneath  the  shade  of  bending  palms. 

These  perfumes  rouse  lethargic  brains 
From  idle  dreams  and  visions  pale. 
As  modern  Argonauts  we  sail 
Far  o'er  the  vast  mysterious  main; 
We  wish  no  golden  fleeces  sleek. 
But  in  these  islands  of  the  Greek, 
A  woman's  lovely  face  we  seek. 

All  preparations  having  been  made,  it  was  decided  to 
start  for  Greece  about  the  end  of  July  ;  and  these  modern 
Argonauts  were  in  the  highest  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  the 
coming  voyage,  —  Caliphronas  because  his  object  was  gained, 
and  Roylands  would  soon  be  on  his  way  to  the  island  of 
Melnos ;  Crispin  because  he  had  come  to  a  comfortable  un- 
derstanding with  Mrs.  Dengelton ;  and  Maurice  for  the  sim- 
ple reason  that  he  was  going  to  see  in  the  flesh  this  beautiful 
vision  of  fancy  which  haunted  his  brain.  The  Grange  was 
to  be  left  to  the  guardianship  of  the  housekeeper,  and  its 
master,  giving  up,  at  least  for  the  present,  a  life  of  ease,  was 


132  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

about  to  embark  on  one  of  those  adventurous  expeditions  so 
dear  to  the  hearts  of  our  restless  young  Englishmen.  Mrs. 
Dengelton  and  Eunice  had  arranged  to  stay  with  Lady  Dan- 
vers  in  London,  and  the  good  old  Rector  still  remained  in 
his  sleepy  village,  looking  after  his  parishioners,  his  Aristo- 
phanic  translation,  and  his  beloved  roses. 

In  company  with  Maurice,  the  poet  had  taken  a  journey 
to  Southampton  to  see  if  the  yacht  was  all  in  order  for  the 
projected  voyage,  and  had  stayed  there  three  days  to  attend 
to  all  necessary  matters.  The  Eunice  was  a  beautiful  little 
craft,  schooner-rigged  fore  and  aft,  and  was  manned  by  an 
excellent  crew ;  so  with  all  this  luxury  the  three  adventur- 
ers looked  forward  to  having  a  very  pleasant  time.  It  was 
now  the  season  when  the  halcyon  broods  on  the  waves,  so 
they  expected  a  smooth  passage  to  Melnos,  and  as  all  three 
were  capital  sailors,  even  if  they  did  have  stormy  weather 
they  cared  very  little  for  such  a  possibility.  Caliphrouas, 
delighted  at  leaving  this  dull  island  for  his  own  brilliant 
skies,  was  beside  himself  with  delight,  and  talked  inces- 
santly of  the  pleasures  in  store  for  them  on  the  Island  of 
Melnos. 

On  the  evening  before  they  left  England,  Maurice  invited 
the  Rector  to  a  farewell  dinner ;  and  the  company  assembled 
round  the  hospitable  table  of  the  Grange  were  very  merry 
indeed,  perhaps  with  the  exception  of  Eunice,  who  was  some- 
what sad  at  the  prospect  of  parting  from  her  poet.  The 
weather  was  still  dull  and  gray,  and  it  was  only  the  prospect 
of  a  speedy  departure  that  kept  Caliphronas  bright ;  but  as 
that  departure  took  place  next  day,  he  was  in  the  gayest 
spirits. 

"  We  are  the  New  Argonauts,"  he  said  merrily,  with  the 
affectation  of  classicism  which  distinguished  him ;  "  we  sail 
for  the  Colchian  strand." 

"It  is  to  be  hoped  we  find  no  Medea  there,"  observed 
Crispin  with  a  smile. 

"  No  ;  our  Medea  is  no  sorceress,  but  a  daughter  of  Venus, 
the  modern  Helen  of  Troy.  Mr.  Maurice  is  her  Jason.  You, 
Crispin,  are  Orpheus." 

"And  you,  Count  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  amused  at  this  fancy. 

"I?"  said  Caliphronas  lightly.  "Well,  I  hardly  know. 
Shall  I  say  Hercules  ?  " 

"  Or  Hylas,"  suggested  the  Rector  idly. 

"  Neither  !  "  interposed  Crispin  pointedly.  "  We  will  take 
a  passenger  from  another  famous  ship,  and  call  him  Ulysses, 
the  craftiest  of  the  Greeks." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  133 

Caliphronas  frowned  at  this  somewhat  uncomplimentary 
remark,  but  immediately  recovered  his  gayety,  and  burst  out 
laughing. 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  mind  in  the  least.  Ulysses,  by  all  means. 
After  all,  he  had  some  very  pleasant  times  with  Circe, 
Calypso,  and  such-like  ladies." 

"  You  seem  to  know  your  Homer,  Count,"  said  the  Rector, 
rather  surprised  at  the  classical  knowledge  of  this  ignorant 
young  man. 

"  Or  his  Lempriere,"  muttered  Crispin  significantly. 

Decidedly  Crispin  was  not  polite ;  but,  truth  to  tell,  the 
prospect  of  a  voyage  in  company  with  a  man  he  disliked  was 
almost  too  much  for  him,  and  it  took  all  his  self-restraint 
to  prevent  him  breaking  out  into  open  war  against  the  Greek. 
Caliphronas  knew  this,  but,  appearing  to  take  no  notice  of 
such  a  hostile  attitude,  resolved  to  bide  his  time,  and  make 
Crispin  suffer  for  such  insolence  at  the  first  opportunity.  It 
seemed  as  though  poor  Maurice  would  not  have  a  very  pleas- 
ant time  of  it,  cooped  up  in  a  vessel  with  these  two  enemies ; 
but,  doubtless,  when  Crispin  played  host  in  his  own  yacht, 
he  would  treat  the  Count  in  a  more  courteous  fashion.  This 
was  exactly  the  view  Crispin  took  of  the  matter;  and  as  he 
knew,  according  to  the  laws  of  hospitality,  he  would  have  to 
be  scrupulously  polite  to  Caliphronas  on  board  The  Eunice, 
he  was  taking  advantage  of  the  present  time,  and  giving  his 
humor  full  rein  in  the  direction  of  his  real  feelings.  If  he 
could  only  have  prevented  Caliphronas  coming  by  such  a 
display  of  hostility,  he  would  have  been  very  glad,  as  he 
mistrusted  the  Greek  very  much  ;  but  Caliphronas  was  imper- 
vious to  the  shafts  of  irony,  and,  as  long  as  he  gained  his 
ends,  did  not  care  what  was  said  to  him  or  of  him.  This 
brilliant  stranger  was  a  man  entirely  without  pride,  and 
would  put  up  with  any  insults  rather  than  jeopardize  his 
plans  by  resenting  such  discourtesy.  It  was  the  last  oppor- 
tunity Crispin  would  have  of  showing  his  real  feelings,  so  he 
took  advantage  of  it ;  and  though  it  was  scarcely  gentlemanly 
of  him  to  do  so,  the  Count  was  such  an  unmitigated  scoun- 
drel that  honorable  and  courteous  treatment  was  entirely 
lost  on  him. 

However,  Eunice  overheard  his  ironical  remarks,  and 
looked  reproachfully  at  him,  whereon  Crispin  restrained  his 
temper,  and  strove  to  be  delightfully  amiable,  no  very  easy 
task  in  his  present  frame  of  mind.  With  this  good  resolve 
he  talked  as  pleasantly  as  he  was  able,  and  heard  Caliphronas 


134  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

romance  about  his  fictitious  life  without  contradicting  him, 
which  he  felt  sorely  inclined  to  do.  It  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  Crispin  had  hitherto  led  a  semi-civilized  life,  and  had 
not  acquired  that  knack  of  concealing  his  likes  or  dislikes  so 
necessary  in  our  artificial  society ;  besides  which  he  was  a 
very  honest-minded  man,  and,  knowing  the  true  story  of 
Caliphronas,  the  deliberate  lies,  flashy  manner,  and  snake- 
like subtlety  of  the  Greek  annoyed  him. 

Maurice  also  distrusted  the  Count,  especially  after  his 
conversation  with  Crispin  regarding  the  real  name,  career, 
and  character  of  the  man;  but,  being  more  versed  in  the 
science  of  deception,  behaved  admirably  towards  his  guest  in 
every  way,  thereby  deceiving  Caliphronas  to  take  all  this 
enforced  suavity  for  actual  good-fellowship.  As  to  the  Hec- 
tor, he  was  extremely  punctilious  in  his  behavior,  and  neither 
by  word  nor  deed  showed  his  dislike  of  this  sleek-footed 
panther,  who  was  about  to  bear  away  his  favorite  Maurice 
into  unknown  dangers. 

"  You  must  bring  us  all  kinds  of  things  from  Greece, 
Maurice,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton  in  her  usual  gushing  manner. 
"  I  adore  foreign  ornaments  —  those  silver  pins,  you  know, 
like  Italian  women  wear,  and  Moorish  veils,  and  Algerian 
lamps  —  so  delightful  —  the}^  fill  up  a  room  wonderfully." 

"  Yes,  and  make  it  look  like  a  curiosity-shop,"  replied 
Maurice,  laughing.  "  Oh,  my  dear  aunt,  you  may  depend  I 
will  bring  you  all  kinds  of  outlandish  things  ;  but  as  to  Italian 
pins,  Moorish  veils,  Algerian  lamps,  I  don't  suppose  I  will 
find  any  of  those  sort  of  things  in  Greece." 

"  What  will  I  bring  jom  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  as  he  held  open 
the  door  for  Eunice  to  pass  through. 

They  were  beyond  the  hearing  of  the  table,  Mrs.  Dengel- 
ton had  sailed  on  ahead  to  the  drawing-room,  so  they  were 
virtually  alone. 

''  What  will  I  bring  you  ?  "  he  asked  in  a  whisper. 

"  Yourself,"  she  replied  in  the  same  tone.  And  Crispin 
returned  to  his  seat  with  the  delightful  conviction  that 
Eunice  was  the  most  charming  girl  in  the  world,  and  he 
was  certainly  the  most  fortunate  of  poets. 

The  Rector  poured  himself  out  a  glass  of  his  favorite  port, 
and  began  to  converse  with  Caliphronas  ;  while  Maurice  and 
Crispin,  lighting  their  cigarettes,  chatted  about  the  yacht, 
her  sea-going  powers,  the  question  of  stores,  the  anticipated 
time  she  would  take  to  run  down  to  the  ^gean,  and  such- 
like marine  matters. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  135 

"  Will  you  pay  us  another  visit,  Count  ? "  asked  the 
Kector,  inore  for  the  sake  of  starting  a  conversation  than 
because  he  really  cared  about  such  a  possibility. 

"No,  I  do  not  think  so.  I  am  going  to  be  married  and 
settle  down  in  my  own  island." 

"Ithaca^" 

Caliphronas  laughed  a  little  on  hearing  the  name. 

"  Yes  ;  on  Ithaca." 

"  Are  you  a  politician  ?  " 

"  ^^  ^^-  I  care  not  two  straws  for  the  reconstruction  of 
the  Greek  Empire,  the  recovery  of  Byzantium  from  the 
1  urks  or  any  of  those  things  whicli  agitate  my  countrymen 
iSo.  i  am  a  terribly  selfish  man,  sir,  as  you  will  doubtless 
tiiink  I  only  want  to  live  in  happiness,  and  for  the  good  of 
my  tellow-creatures  I  care  nothing." 

life?"^^^*  ""^^  ''^*^^''  ^^  egotistical  way  of  looking  at 
"Doubtless,  sir,  from  your  point  of  view,  but  not  from 
mine.  You  are  a  priest  of  your  Church,  what  we  call  a 
Papa  m  my  country,  and  live  the  life  of  the  soul,  while  I 
live  the  life  of  the  body.  You  believe  in  self-abnegation  —  I 
m  self-satisfaction.  With  this  beautiful  world  I  am  content 
but  you  rack  your  soul  with  longings  for  the  life  beyond  the 

hr^'Test"    ^  ^"^^^^  ^  ^"^  '*'^^^'  ^^"""^  ^""^  ''^^^^'  ^""^  ^  ^^  *^^ 

"The  happiness  of  the  beasts  which  perish!"  said  the 
Rector  emphatically. 

"Well,  the  beasts,  as  a  rule,  have  a  very  good  time  of  it 

^nl    ."i  ^''^^^'  ^^  *^  *^^  ^^^s*^  ^^'6  all  Pei-ish  at  last." 
|;  Ihe  body,  but  not  the  soul." 

"Ah,  that  I  do  not  know.  I  may  have  a  soul,  but  I  am  not 
certain  ;  but  I  have  a  body,  and  as  long  as  that  is  at  ease, 
why  should  I  trouble  about  things  in  the  next  life  ^  " 

"  Do  you  ever  think  of  the  hereafter  ^  " 

"  Xever  !  If  I  die,  I  die  !  While  I  live,  I  live  !  I  prefer 
present  certainty  to  future  doubt." 

^Ir.  Carriston  was  silent,  as  he  did  not  care  about  ar^uinc^ 
theology  with  this  subtle  Greek,  whose  religion,  whose  phi° 
losophy,  assumed  Protean  forms  to  meet  every  objection. 
He  was  full  of  sophistry  and  double  dealing,  an  unfair 
adversary  m  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  was  so  encased  in 
^is  armor  of  self-complacency  and  egotism,  that  he  could 
never  be  brought  to  look  at  things  either  spiritual  or  mate- 
rial in  any  light  than  that  which  satisfied  the  selfishness  of 


136  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

his  own  soul.  The  Hector,  therefore,  avoided  the  threatened 
argument,  and  applied  himself  to  his  wine,  which  was  a 
much  more  agreeable  task  than  attempting  to  convince  this 
egoist  that  the  supreme  aim  of  life  w^as  not  the  pampering 
of  the  passions  of  the  individual  man. 

''Apart  from  the  theological  aspect  of  the  case,"  said 
Carriston  good-humoredly,  "  it  is  rather  a  mistaken  thing  to 
live  only  for  one's  self.  Where  ignorance  is  *bliss,  I  grant ; 
but,  because  you  know  no  higher  life  than  that  of  the  body, 
you  at  once  assume  that  there  can  be  no  happier  existence." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  say  that,"  answered  Caliphronas  lightly. 
"  No  doubt  you  people  who  mortify  the  flesh,  who  listen  to 
the  voice  of  conscience,  who  consider  the  soul  more  than  the 
body,  and  who  look  upon  this  life  as  a  preparation  for  a 
future  existence,  are  happy  in  your  self-torturings.  All 
that  sort  of  thing  came  in  with  Anno  Domini,  and  made  the 
mediseval  ages  a  hell  of  anguish  ;  but  I  —  I  am  a  Greek  —  a 
pagan,  if  it  pleases  you  —  who  looks  on  this  world  not  as  a 
prison,  but  as  a  garden  wherein  to  live  happily.  Your 
mourning  Man  of  Sorrows  is  entirely  opposed  to  our  joyous 
Apollo,  your  gloomy  views  of  life  to  our  serenity  of  tempera- 
ment. The  difference  is  plain  :  for  you,  a  Christian,  cannot 
understand  the  joyous  songs  of  Paganism ;  I,  a  pagan, 
shudder  at  your  penitential  psalms  of  Christianity.  We 
would  neither  of  us  ever  convince  the  other,  therefore  an 
argument  which  has  not  a  common  basis  from  which  to  start 
is  unprofitable." 

"  I  am  not  going  to  argue,"  replied  Carriston,  smiling, 
"and  I  agree  with  you  that  arguments  are  unprofitable. 
Unless  the  change  takes  place  in  your  own  breast,  it  would 
be  worse  than  useless  for  me  to  attempt  to  reason  with  you. 
But  you  are  evidently  not  of  the  opinion  of  an  Elizabethan 
ancestor  of  mine,  among  whose  papers  I  discovered  the  fol- 
lowing lyric  :  — 

"  Oh,  shall  we  pass  contented  days, 
Unheeding  Fortune's  crown  of  bays, 
Which  decks  the  brows 
Of  those  whose  vows 
Compel  them  to  incessant  strife 
And  restless  life? 

Ah  no;  tho'  pleasing  to  the  sense, 

This  cloying  Hfe  of  indolence 

But  fills  the  soul 

With  weary  dole, 

And  turns  the  sweet,  which  doth  us  bless, 

To  bitterness.'  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  137 

"  Your  Elizabethan  ancestor  was  not  healthy-minded/'  said 
Caliphronas  coolly  ;  "  if  he  had  been  he  would  never  have 
written  such  silly  verses.  It  is  your  unhealthy  life,  your  un- 
healthy bodies,  which  breed  such  restlessness  in  you.^^ 

''•At  all  events,  that  restlessness  has  made  England  what 
she  is,"  replied  the  Rector,  rather  nettled  at  the  rudeness  of 
the  Greek. 

"  A  land  of  money-worship,  a  land  of  noisy  steam-engines,  a 
land  of  poverty  and  wealth  —  extremes  in  both  cases.  Yes, 
I  quite  believe  your  restless  spirit  has  brought  you  to  this 
satisfactory  state  of  things.  Come,  sir,"  added  the  Count, 
with  a  charming  smile,  seeing  the  Rector  was  rather  annoyed, 
"  let  us  agree  to  differ.  For  me,  Greece  —  for  you,  England ; 
for  me,  Nature — for  you.  Art.  Two  parallel  straight  lines 
cannot  meet," 

Carriston  laughed  at  this  way  of  settling  the  question,  but 
made  no  further  remarks,  and  after  a  desultory  conversation 
between  all  four  gentlemen  had  ensued,  they  went  into  the 
drawing-room  to  join  the  ladies. 

Mrs.  Dengelton  was  engaged  on  her  everlasting  fancy- 
work  ;  and  Eunice,  with  a  rather  disconsolate  look  on  her 
face,  was  idly  turning  over  the  pages  of  a  book.  Crispin 
stole  quietly  behind  her  and  glanced  over  her  shoulder.  It 
was  a  volume  of  his  poems,  and  he  felt  flattered. 

"And  to  think,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton,  without  further 
prelude,  "  that  you  will  be  so  far  away  from  home  to-mor- 
row." 

"  The  world  is  my  home,"  cried  Caliphronas  gayly. 

"We  Englishmen  are  narrower  in  our  ideas,"  observed 
Maurice  dryly;  "we  look  on  England  as  our  home." 

"Ah,  there's  no  place  like  home,"  sighed  the  Honorable 
Mrs.  Dengelton  sentimentally. 

"If  by  home  you  mean  England,  I  am  very  glad  of  it," 
retorted  the  Count  audaciously  ;  "  I  would  rather  live  in 
exile  in  Greece.  But  come,  I  will  say  no  more  evil  things 
about  your  beloved  island  of  fogs." 

"  If  you  do,  I  will  sing  '  Rule  Britannia,' "  said  Maurice, 
laughing. 

"What  is  that?" 

"  Our  national  song.  Do  you  know  any  national  songs  of 
your  country. 

Caliphronas  smiled  with  an  expression  of  supreme  indif- 
ference, 

"  No ;  I  know  nothing  of  patriotism.  I  have  never  given 
it  a  thought.     All  my  songs  are  of  love  and  wine." 


138  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"Oh!"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton  in  a  shocked  tone ;  "realh^, 
Count,  you  say  the  most  dreadful  things  ! " 

*'  Other  times  other  manners/'  observed  the  Rector  humor- 
ously. "  Horace,  for  instance,  said  things  which  would  shock 
you,  my  dear  Mrs.  Dengelton." 

"■  I've  no  doubt  about  it,"  retorted  the  lady  viciously  ; 
"but,  thank  heaven,  I  do  not  know  Latin."* 

"  But  you  know  French,  aunt,"  said  Maurice  wickedly ; 
''  and  I  am  afraid  Gyp,  George  Sand,  and  Belot,  are  quite  as 
bad,  if  not  worse,  than  the  Latin  poet." 

"Maurice,"  replied  Mrs.  Dengelton  severely,  unable  to 
parry  this  attack,  "remember  jomv  cousin  is  in  the  room." 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  aunt." 

"  And  now,  Count  Caliphronas,"  said  the  good  lady,  thus 
appeased,  "  suppose  you  sing  us  one  of  your  songs." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  shock  you,"  replied  the  Count  slyly. 

"  Oh  dear  no  !  none  of  us  know  Greek." 

"That  is  hardly  complimentary  to  me,  who  have  given  up 
all  my  life  to  the  study  of  the  Greek  poets." 

"I  don't  mean  you.  Rector,  but  the  young  people." 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  mind  singing,"  said  Caliphronas,  going  to 
the  piano ;  "  if  the  words  of  my  songs  were  translated,  you 
would  find  them  very  harmless.  They  only  contain  the  lan- 
guage of  love  known  to  all  the  world." 

"  Will  I  play  for  you  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  looking  up  from 
the  poem  he  was  reading  to  Eunice. 

"  If  you  would  be  so  kind." 

"  What  will  you  sing  ?  "  said  the  poet,  sitting  down  at  the 
piano.  "  iSTo  love,  no  wine  to-night.  It  is  our  last  meeting 
in  England,  so  sing  some  song  of  farewell." 

"Will  I  sing  '  The  Call  to  Arms  '?  " 

"Yes,  that  will  be  stirring  enough." 

Whereupon  Caliphronas  sang  that  patriotic  song,  which 
was  written  by  some  modern  Hellenic  Tyrtaeus  during  the 
War  of  Independence.  Crispin  afterwards  translated  it  into 
the  metre  of  Byron's  famous  "  Isles  of  Greece  "  for  the  bene- 
fit of  Eunice,  who  was  anxious  to  know  the  words  which, 
clothed  in  their  Greek  garb,  rang  through  the  room  like  the 
inspiriting  blare  of  a  trumpet. 

"  Thermopylae !     Theraiopylae ! 

Give  back  your  Spartan  sons  of  yore, 
To  raise  the  flas;  of  liberty, 

And  dye  its  folds  in  Tmkish  gore; 
Then  will  the  crimson  banner  wave 
Above  the  freeman,  not  the  slave. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  139 

Arise,  ye  Greeks,  and  break  your  chains! 

By  daring  hearts  is  freedom  won. 
Behold,  the  Moslem  crescent  wanes 

Before  the  rising  Attic  sun; 
Oh,  let  its  golden  beams  be  shed 
On  chainless  Greeks,  and  tyrants  dead ! 

Your  fathers'  swords  were  laurel-wreathed, 

And  wielded  well  by  freemen  brave; 
Why  are  your  swords  so  idly  sheathed, 

While  Greece  is  still  a  Turkish  slave  ? 
Shall  Hellas,  Mother  of  the  West, 
In  servitude  ignoble  rest  ? 

Oh,  shame!  that  it  should  come  to  this, 

When  by  your  side  hang  idle  swords ; 
Arise,  ye  sons  of  ISalamis, 

Whose  fathers  quelled  the  Persian  hordes, 
And  drive  the  Moslem  to  the  sea, 
Till  Hellas  and  her  sons  be  free." 


When  the  song  was  finished,  Caliphronas  turned  away 
silently,  and  Carriston,  who  was  seated  near,  saw  to  his 
astonishment  that  the  eyes  of  the  emotional  Greek  were  suf- 
fused with  tears. 

'•That  man  has  some  noble  traits/'  he  said  to  himself 
as  he  noticed  this ;  "  he  is  moved  by  the  wrongs  of  his 
country." 

"  What  a  fine  ringing  melody  !  "  cried  Eunice,  whose  eyes 
were  flashing  with  excitement. 

"It  is  like  'Chevy  Chase,'"  said  Maurice  quickly,  "and 
stirs  the  heart  like  the  sound  of  a  trumpet." 

"The  poet  was  evidently  inspired  by  Byron,"  remarked 
Crispin,  idly  fingering  the  piano  keys  ;  "  I  expect  he  wrote 
it  after  the  'Isles  of  Greece/  song.  Ah,  a  Greisk  should 
have  written  that." 

'•I  am  afraid  the  days  of  Alcseus  are  past."  replied  the 
Rector,  who  had  understood  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
song,  owing  to  his  acquaintance  with  the  ancient  Attic 
tongue ;  "  Greece  prefers  Anacreon.  Still  she  won  her  free- 
dom bravely." 

"  And  to  what  gain  ?  "  said  Caliphronas  bitterly ;  "  to  be 
ruled  by  a  Danish  prince.  Better  the  republics  of  Athens, 
Sparta,  and  Thebes,  than  such  playing  at  monarchy." 

"To  revive  the  ancient  government  you  must  have  the 
ancient  patriots,  poets,  and  scholars." 

"  That  I  am  afraid  is  impossible.     No,  the  glory  has  de- 


140  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

parted  from  Greece.  Centuries  of  oppression  have  crushed 
the  creative  faculty  out  of  her." 

"  Oh,  let  us  hope,  when  the  Greek  Empire  is  reconstructed, 
we  will  have  a  new  Pindar,  a  new  Sophocles,  a  new  Plato." 

"  That  is  a  dream  of  the  lyre,  not  of  the  sword,"  replied 
Caliphronas,  carelessly  glancing  at  his  watch.  ''  By  the  way, 
it  is  very  late,  and,  as  we  have  to  be  up  early,  I  suppose  we 
ought  to  retire  early." 

"  1  am  quite  with  you.  Count,"  said  Mrs.  I^engelton,  roll- 
ing up  her  work.  ''  Come,  Eunice,  we  must  get  our  beauty 
sleep." 

'•  Humph !  the  mother  needs  it  more  than  the  daughter," 
thought  Crispin,  but  did  not  give  vent  to  this  very  uncom- 
plimentary remark,  and  hastened  to  give  the  ladies  their 
candles. 

"Are  you  going  to  bed,  Caliphronas?"  asked  Maurice, 
when  the  ladies  had  gone.     "  We  intend  to  smoke." 

''  Going  to  shorten  j^our  lives,"  replied  the  Count,  smiling. 
''No ;  I  am  like  Mrs.  Dengelton,  I  require  my  beauty  sleep ; " 
and  at  that  he  also  departed. 

The  Rector,  in  company  with  his  two  young  friends,  went 
to  the  smoking-room,  and  had  a  pleasant  conversation,  but  it 
was  noticeable  that  all  three  gentlemen  carefully  avoided 
mentioning  the  name  of  Caliphronas.  Decidedly  the  Greek 
was  not  in  favor,  and,  in  spite  of  the  good  impression  he  had 
created  in  the  Rector's  mind  by  his  patriotic  emotion,  that 
gentleman  showed  how  deeply  rooted  was  his  distrust  by  his 
parting  words  to  Crispin. 

'•  Remember,  I  leave  Maurice  in  your  hands,  Mr.  Crispin," 
he  said  in  a  faltering  voice  ;  ''  he  is  very  dear  to  me,  and  you 
must  protect  him  from  all  danger." 

"  My  dear  Rector,  I  am  not  a  child,"  interposed  Maurice, 
rather  nettled;  "nor  are  we  going  to  the  wilds  of  Africa." 

"  You  may  meet  with  worse  enemies  than  the  savage 
beasts  of  Africa,"  replied  the  Rector  obstinately.  "  I  do  not 
trust  your  friend  Caliphronas." 

"  Be  content,"  said  Crispin,  shaking  the  Rector  warmly  by 
the  hand,  "  I  will  watch  over  Maurice  ;  and  as  to  Caliphronas 
you  need  not  be  afraid  of  him.     I  know  the  man." 

"And  know  any  good  of  him  ?  " 

"  Ah,  that  is  a  secret  at  present ;  but  you  may  be  sure  he 
will  not  harm  Maurice  while  I  am  near." 

"  One  would  think  we  were  going  into  danger,  the  way  you 
talk,"  said  Roylands  impatiently,  "instead  of  a  pleasant 
cruise  in  Greek  waters." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  141 

"The  New  Argonauts,"  observed  the  Rector,  laughing. 
"Good-night,  Mr.  Crispin.  Good-night,  my  dear  lad ;  come 
over  and  say  good-by  to-morrow." 

The  Argonauts  promised,  and  the  Rector,  quite  at  peace 
concerning  his  dear  pupil,  departed. 

"  You  doubt  Caliphronas  ;  the  Rector  doubts  Caliphronas," 
said  Maurice,  when  the  old  man  had  gone.  "  I  am  getting 
rather  wearied  of  such  doubts." 

"Well,  I  will  set  your  doubts  at  rest  in  — say  a  week's 
time." 

"  And  are  your  revelations  startling  ?  " 

Crispin  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Not  very  ;  it  all  depends  upon  what  you  call  startling. 
Really  I  have  made  by  my  talk  this  molehill  of  a  Caliphro- 
nas into  a  mountain  of  dissimulation  and  deceit.  He  is  not 
a  good  man,  but  I  have  no  doubt  he  is  as  good  as  his  neigh- 
bors." 

"  The  mystery  which  environs  him  fascinates  me." 

"No  doubt;  the  unknown  is  always  attractive,"  replied 
Crispin  sententiously.  "But  after  all,  when  I '  tell  you 
everything,  you  may  be  disappointed.  The  mountain  may 
only  bring  forth  a  mouse,  you  know.  But,  at  all  events,  I 
look  forward  to  some  pretty  lively  times." 

"  Where  ?  " 

"In  the  Island  of  Melnos.  My  dear  innocent  Englishman, 
you  are  being  drawn  into  a  network  of  intrigue  and  duplicity, 
but,  as  I  hold  all  the  threads  in  my  hand,  you  will  come  out 
all  right  in  the  end." 

"You  puzzle  me  !  I  hope  I  will  come  all  right  out  of  this 
mystery." 

"  I  heard  a  vulgar  saying  at  a  music  hall  which  applies  to 
this  case  and  to  you,"  said  Crispin  gayly ;  "  it  was,  '  Keep 
your  eye  on  your  father,  and  your  father  will  pull  you 
through.' " 


142  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    PAST    OF    A    POET. 

"We  all  have  histories.    The  meanest  hind 
Who  turns  the  steaming  furrow  can  unfold 
Some  story  in  his  uneventful  life, 
Which  stirs  the  wonderment  of  him  who  hoars, 
To  thoughts  bewildered,  how  so  small  a  stage 
Can  thus  contain  so  great  a  tragedy. 

The  Eunice  left  Southampton  on  an  unpleasantly  wet 
day,  and  standing  on  the  deck,  under  a  dull  gray  sky,  the 
three  adventurers  felt  quite  dispirited  as  they  watched  the 
receding  shores  of  England  veil  themselves  in  chilly  mists. 
Going  down  the  Channel  they  had  moderately  fair  weather, 
but  no  sunlight,  and  Caliphronas,  who  was  a  wretchedl}^  bad 
sailor,  in  spite  of  his  Levantine  cruisings,  retreated  to  his 
cabin  in  a  very  miserable  frame  of  mind.  Both  Crisj)in  and 
Maurice,  however,  were  in  good  health  and  spirits,  mostly 
remaining  on  deck  to  watch  the  gray  sea  heaving  dully  under 
the  gray  sky.  In  the  Bay  of  Biscay  bad  weather  prevailed 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  the  yacht  tossed  about  a  good 
deal  in  the  choppy  waters.  Not  until  they  passed  the 
Straits  did  they  have  fine  weather,  for  the  first  burst  of  sun- 
light showed  them  the  giant  rock  of  Gibraltar  frowning  on 
the  left  as  they  steamed  rapidly  into  the  blue  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean. 

Had  Maurice  so  desired,  Crispin  was  quite  willing  to  put 
in  for  a  day,  but  the  young  man  was  anxious  to  proceed  to 
Melnos,  and  the  yacht  soon  left  the  picturesque  sentinel  of 
the  Mediterranean  behind.  The  weather  now  became  warm 
and  briglit,  bringing  Caliphronas  out  of  his  cabin  again,  like  a 
brilliant  butterfly,  to  bask  in  the  sunshine.  The  arid  island 
of  Malta  came  in  sight,  and  they  saw  its  precipitous  shores 
rising  sternly  from  the  tideless  waters.  For  a  few  hours 
they  cast  anchor  in  the  Grand  Harbor,  and  went  on  shore 
to  explore  Valetta,  with  its  steep  streets,  quaint  houses,  and 
mongrel  population.  An  afternoon  spent  in  leisurely  stroll- 
ing along  the  Strada  Reale,  and  looking  at  the  bizarre 
mixture  of  Turks,  Jews,  Arabs,  Italians,  and  red-coated 
English  soldiers,  proved  an  agreeable  change  after  their  nine 
days'  run  from  Southampton,  and  they  re-embarked  in  much 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  143 

better  spirits  than  when  they  left  England.  Now  they  were 
in  tropical  heat,  with  a  cloudless  sky  above,  and  the  brave 
little  yacht  steamed  merril}^  across  the  glittering  waters, 
leaving  a  trail  of  white  foam  behind  her.  Nearer  and  nearer 
they  drew  to  the  enchanted  shores  of  Greece,  and  to  glowing 
days  succeeded  warm  nights  lighted  by  mellow  constellations 
and  delicately  silver  moons. 

It  was  when  they  were  in  Adria,  the  ancient  name  of  the 
sea  between  Sicily  and  Greece,  that  Crispin  told  Maurice  the 
story  of  his  life.  Dinner  was  long  since  over,  and  the  three 
gentlemen  lounged  on  deck  smoking  the  pipes  of  peace  — 
that  is,  Crispin  and  Maurice  smoked  and  lounged,  for  Cal- 
iphronas  did  neither  the  one  thing  nor  the  other,  but  paced 
restlessly  about  the  deck,  looking  up  into  the  darkly  blue 
sky,  and  singing  snatches  of  Greek  songs. 

"  Do  you  see  Taygetus,  Mr.  Maurice  ?  "  he  said,  pointing 
to  the  lofty  snow-crowned  range  of  mountains  in  the  distance. 
"  This  is  your  first  glimpse  of  Greece,  is  it  not  ?  Yes,  of 
course  it  is.  I  am  sorry  you  do  not  find  our  shores  bathed 
in  sunlight  to  greet  you  ;  still  yonder  snowy  mountain,  this 
calm  sea,  that  serene  sky,  is  beautiful,  is  it  not  ?  " 

*'  Very  beautiful." 

Whereat  Caliphronas,  leaning  over  the  taffrail  and  looking 
dreamily  at  the  shores  of  his  native  land,  broke  out  into  song. 

"  I  would  I  were  hunting  on  rocky  Taygetus, 
Which  kisses  the  starry  sky  with  snows  of  chastity, 
Then  might  I  meet  the  lost  nymph 
Who  beloved  by  a  god  was  set  as  a  star  on  high, 
But  fell  from  thence,  and  was  lost  in  the  snowy  wilderness." 

"  Taygeta  ! "  said  Crispin,  who  knew  the  song  well.  "  Yes  ; 
she  was  one  of  the  Pleiades,  certainly  ;  but  I  don't  think  she 
was  the  lost  Pleiad,  nor  do  I  think  she  had  anything  to  do 
with  yonder  mountain.  If  you  hunted  there,  Caliphronas, 
you  would  meet  Bacchus  and  his  crew,  but  no  nymph." 

"  I  sing  the  song  as  'twas  sung  to  me,"  said  the  Count 
blithely,  balancing  himself  on  one  foot.  "  This  is  a  land  of 
fancy,  not  of  fact;  so  why  bring  in  your  hard  truths  to 
destroy  the  glory  of  tradition  ?  No ;  Taygeta  haunts  those 
hills,  and  if  I  wandered  upward  to  the  snows  I  would  meet 
her." 

"If  you  saw  a  nymph  you  would  go  mad,"  remarked 
Maurice,  alluding  to  the  old  Greek  superstition. 

"  I  am  mad  now,  Mr.  Maurice,  —  mad  with  the  scent  of  wind 


144  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

and  wave  and  shore.  Can  you  not  smell  the  perfumes  blow- 
ing from  the  land  ?  " 

'^No  ;  I'm  sure  I  cannot,  nor  you  either." 

"  You  are  no  believer.  See,  from  the  moonlit  waters  arise 
the  Nereides  to  welcome  us  to  the  seas  of  Poseidon.  Are- 
thusa,  Asia,  and  Leucothoe  are  all  waving  their  white  arms, 
and  singing  songs  of  the  wondrous  caves  beneath  the 
waves." 

'•  Ridiculous  ! "  retorted  Maurice  stolidly. 

'-  You  are  no  idealist,"  said  Caliphronas  petulantly. 
"  Dull  Englishman  as  you  are,  the  land  of  romance  spreads 
her  wonders  in  vain  for  you.  Creespeen,  you  are  a  poet; 
behold  the  daughters  of  the  sea ! " 

Crispin  smiled  absently,  and  tossed  his  cigarette  into  the 
waters  which  rushed  past,  glittering  in  the  moonlight  with 
the  grayish  glint  of  steel. 

"  You  forget  that  this  is  no  galley  of  Ulysses,  my  friend. 
A  modern  steamer,  with  a  noisy  screw  beating  the  waters,  is 
enough  to  scare  away  all  the  nymphs  in  the  vicinity." 

''  And  this  is  a  poet !  "  cried  the  Greek  indignantly,  ad- 
dressing the  stars;  '-'this  dull-eyed  being  who  can  see  no 
Avonders  in  the  seas !  Oh,  shade  of  Homer,  conjure  up  for 
him  the  island  nymph.  Calypso,  and  her  lovely  train  ;  con- 
jure "  — 

"I  think  Homer  will  have  to  conjure  up  himself  first," 
said  Crispin  flippantly. 

"Which  he  certainly  will  not  do  on  the  ocean,"  added 
Maurice  lazily  ;  "  3'our  mighty  poet  was  a  land-lubber." 

Caliphronas  looked  indignantly  at  them  both,  then  went 
off  in  a  rage. 

"  I  will  go  and  have  a  talk  to  the  sailors." 

"  Don't  addle  their  English  brains  with  your  classical  rub- 
bish," shouted  Crispin  satirically ;  "  if  you  do,  they  may 
wreck  us." 

"  Wreck  you  ! "  said  the  Greek  to  himself,  with  a  start. 
"There  is  many  a  true  word  spoken  in  jest,  my  friend;  per- 
haps you  will  be  wrecked  before  we  reach  Melnos." 

When  Caliphronas  had  gone,  Maurice  relighted  his  pipe, 
which  had  gone  out ;  and,  freed  from  the  chattering  of  the 
Count,  enjoyed  the  quiet  beauty  of  the  night,  while  Crispin 
hummed  softly  a  ballad  which  Eunice  used  to  sing,  — 

"  Oh,  winds  and  waves,  oli.  stars  and  sea, 
I  would  1  were  as  blithe  and  free." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  145 

Above,  the  sky  was  almost  of  a  purple  color  in  the  sultry 
night,  and  the  stars,  brilliant  and  large,  burned  like  lamps  in 
the  still  air.  A  serene  moon,  half  veiled  in  fleecy  clouds, 
arose  above  the  chill  snows  of  Taygetus,  and  a  long  glitter- 
ing bridge  of  light  extended  from  the  land  to  the  yacht. 
The  steady  beat  of  the  screw,  which  impelled  the  vessel 
through  the  silent  waters,  sounded  in  their  ears,  blending 
with  the  rich  voice  of  Caliphronas,  who  had  climbed  up  the 
mast,  and  was  clinging  to  the  weather  rigging  like  a  spectral 
figure  in  the  shadowy  glimmer  of  moon  and  star. 

"  The  eartli  breathes  fragrant  breaths  to-night, 
And  the  perfume  blows  from  the  land. 
Oh,  I  can  see  the  waters  kissing  her  shores, 
Even  as  I  would  kiss  thee,  my  beloved, 
With  thy  breath  more  fragrant  than  these  languid  scents, 
Floating  from  the  distant  isles  of  rose-filled  gardens." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  Greek,"  said  Maurice,  as  the  Count  paused 
for  a  moment ;  ''  those  snatches  of  song  sound  so  beautiful." 

"They  are  beautiful,"  replied  Crispin  idly;  "I  have  often 
thought  of  translating  some  of  them  into  English.     Listen ! " 

"I  see  Dione  rising  from  the  waters, 
A  Yenus  of  the  moonlight  night. 
Why  wavest  thou  thy  arms  as  ivory  gleaming  ? 
Why  do  I  see  thine  eyes  flash  as  the  evening  star  ? 
Thy  voice  is  as  the  murmur  of  breathing  waves 
In  twilight  on  a  sandy  beach. 
Callestthou  me  to  thy  home  below  ? 
Ah,  I  will  come,  and  beneath  the  placid  waters 
Coldly  white  will  I  lie  on  thy  cold  white  breast. 
But  thro'  the  door  of  death  must  I  pass  to  gain  such  blisses." 

"'Tis  like  the  lyrics  of  Callicles  in  Arnold's  poem,"  said 
Crispin,  taking  off  his  cap;  "stray  fragments  of  song  scat- 
tered by  the  winds." 

"  Or  like  the  songs  in  ^  Pippa  Passes,' "  suggested  Maurice 
speculatively ;  "  but  I  am  afraid  the  singing  of  Caliphronas 
will  not  do  so  much  good  as  Pippa's." 

A  long  sigh  floated  past  them  on  the  still  waters,  like  the 
melancholy  cry  of  a  bird,  and  died  away  sadly  in  the  distance. 

"  Calypso  sighing  for  Ulysses,"  observed  Crispin,  without 
altering  his  position  ;  "  though  I  dare  say  it  is  only  the  wind 
moaning  through  the  ropes." 

"Let  us  think  it  is  the  voice  calling,  Pan  is  dead  !  " 

"  We  are  classical  to-night.     Caliphronas  has  inoculated  us 


146  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

with  his  antique  dreams.     Well,  when  one  is  in  fairyland, 
one  must  dream  romances." 

"Suppose  you  tell  me  your  romance,"  said  ^Maurice 
abruptly. 

"  Of  my  past  life  ?  Yes ;  I  will  do  so ;  but  you  must  prom- 
ise to  keep  it  secret." 

"I  promise." 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  think  but  little  of  it  when  you  know 
all ;  but  I  promised  to  tell  you,  so  I  will  now,fullil  my  prom- 
ise.    In  the  first  place,  you  know  my  name  is  Crispin." 

"  Yes ;  and  have  often  wondered  at  its  terseness.  Have 
you  no  surname  ?  " 

"  No  legal  surname." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  a  natural  son." 

"  Illegitimate  !  "  said  Maurice,  startled. 

"  Yes.  Kow  you  see  the  reason  for  my  returning  to 
Melnos." 

"  You  wish  to  find  out  who  you  really  are." 

"I  do  ;  from  Justinian." 

"  But  who  is  this  mysterious  Justinian  ?  " 

"  And  this  equally  mysterious  Caliphronas,  and  Alcibiades, 
and  Crispin.  You  are  in  a  world  of  mystery  here,  and  will 
see  many  things  on  Melnos  which  will  excite  your  wonder- 
ment. But  come,  I  will  lift  a  portion  of  the  veil,  and  place 
you  in  possession  of  facts  which  may  be  of  use  to  you  in  the 
future." 

"  I  am  all  attention." 

Crispin  settled  himself  more  comfortably,  and,  fixing  his 
earnest  eyes  upon  Maurice,  began  his  story  without  further 
remark. 

"My  first  memories  are  of  the  Island  of  Melnos,  where  I 
was  not  born.  No ;  I  was  taken  there  with  my  mother  when 
I  was  an  infant ;  but  the  land  of  my  birth  I  do  not  know. 
English  I  am,  certainly  ;  but  for  all  I  know,  ocean  may  have 
witnessed  my  coming  into  the  world.  As  I  grew  up,  I 
thought  Justinian  was  my  father,  for  my  mother  always  led 
me  to  believe  such  was  the  case,  and  certainly  he  was  very 
kind  to  me.  This  Justinian,  of  whom  you  have  often  heard 
me  speak,  is  not  a  Greek,  but  an  Englishman  ;  but  of  his  real 
name  I  am  ignorant,  nor  do  I  know  the  reason  that  he  lives 
in  this  island  exile.  Now  you  can  see  the  reason  I  speak 
English  so  well,  for  from  my  earliest  years  I  was  brought  up 
with  the  sound  of  it  in  my  ears  j  so  also  was  Caliphronas." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  147 

"  Is  he  related  to  Justinian  ?  " 

"No;  nor  was  he  born  in  Ithaca;  nor  is  he  a  count;  nor 
is  his  name  Caliphronas.  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas, 
better  known  in  these  waters  as  Andros,  comes  from  the 
island  of  the  name  ;  and  Justinian,  struck  by  his  beauty  as 
a  child,  adopted  him  as  a  son,  and  brought  him  up  with  me. 
The  English  tongue  we  were  both  taught  from  our  cradles ; 
so  you  now  know  the  reason  we  both  speak  it  so  well.  In  those 
early  days  I  always  thought  Justinian  was  my  father,  and 
Caliphronas  was  my  brother ;  but  as  I  grew  up  I  was  un- 
deceived on  these  points.  My  mother  died  when  I  was  still 
a  child,  and  I  was  therefore  left  to  the  sole  guardianship  of 
this  pseudo-Englishman.  As  I  told  you,  he  rules  over  a 
kind  of  patriarchal  community  in  this  little-known  island; 
and  the  life  seems  to  suit  him,  for  he  is  a  kind  of  freebooter 
in  his  way,  fierce  and  lawless,  though  years  have  now  tamed 
his  spirit  to  a  considerable  extent.  Caliphronas,  or  rather 
Andros,  and  myself  were  brought  up  in  a  wild  sort  of  fashion, 
—  always  in  the  open  air,  on  the  waters,  fishing,  riding, 
sailing,  fighting  " — 

"  Fighting  ! "  cried  Maurice  in  surprise. 

"  Yes.  Oh,  there  are  strange  things  in  these  Greek  waters, 
I  assure  you !  On  an  adjacent  island  lived  a  kind  of  semi- 
pirate  called  Alcibiades,  who  was,  and  is,  a  thorough  black- 
guard. He  used  to  cruise  about  in  a  small  craft  in  order  to 
levy  blackmail  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  islands,  and 
in  these  cruises  Andros  and  myself  very  often  joined.  There 
was  no  killing,  you  understand  ;  but  sometimes  the  peasants 
objected  to  be  robbed,  so  there  was  often  a  fight,  ending  in 
broken  heads." 

''  But  the  law  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  is  precious  little  law  in  these  parts.  Brigandism 
is  not  yet  extinct,  whatever  you  English  may  think.  Besides, 
Alcibiades  was  a  moderate  sort  of  pirate,  and  was  cunning 
enough  not  to  go  too  far.  He  would  rob  a  poor  man  of  his 
last  drachma,  but  he  would  not  cut  his  throat.  I  don't  think 
Justinian  blamed  him  for  this  piratical  existence  ;  indeed,  I 
think  he  rather  envied  his  wild  life,  and,  had  he  been  young 
enough,  would  certainly  have  joined  him  in  partnership. 
As  it  was,  he  allowed  Andros  and  myself  to  form  part  of  the 
band  of  Alcibiades,  which  we,  wild,  uncultured  scamps  as  we 
were,  regarded  as  a  great  privilege." 

"  And  how  long  did  this  buccaneering  go  on  ?  '^ 

"  As  far  as  I  am  concerned,  for  some  years ;  but  as  regards 
CaliphronaS;  I  dare  say  he  is  at  it  yet/' 


148  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  What !  is  he  a  thief  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no ;  a  thief  is  a  vulgar  thing.  Caliphronas  is  a  pic- 
turesque freebooter,  and  simply  plunders  on  a  large  scale. 
I've  no  doubt  his  visit  to  England  was  paid  for  out  of  his 
ill-gotten  gains." 

"  And  is  this  Alcibiades  still  living  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes ;  you  will  see  him,  I  have  no  doubt,  for  he  is  a 
great  friend  oi  Justinian's." 

"But  who  is  this  Justiniau  ?  " 

Crispin  paused  for  a  moment  and  seemed  to  consider,  then 
replied  with  great  deliberation,  — 

"  I  can  hardly  tell  you.  He  is  an  Englishman,  so  you 
must  be  content  with  knowing  only  that.  Later  on  I  may 
tell  you  something  about  him,  but  not  now." 

"  Well,  and  how  did  you  escape  from  this  piratical  exist- 
ence ?  " 

''  Oh,  Caliphronas  was  the  main  cause  of  my  leaving  Mel- 
nos.  After  my  mother  died,  I  made  several  discoveries  — 
one,  that  Andros  was  not  my  brother,  as  I  had  hitherto 
supposed;  and  another,  that  Justinian  was  not  my  father. 
Being  a  comparative  child,  I  did  not  pay  much  attention  to 
these  facts ;  but  when  I  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  I 
began  to  ask  Justinian  questions  as  to  who  I  really  was, 
but  he  refused  to  tell  me." 

"  Were  you  always  called  Crispin  ?  " 

"  Yes,  always.  Justinian,  in  spite  of  his  fierce,  wild 
nature,  has  a  vein  of  romance  in  him,  and,  as  he  arrived  at 
Melnos  with  myself  and  my  mother  on  St.  Crispin's  day, 
called  me  after  that  saint.  My  mother  fell  in  with  his 
humor,  and  from  the  time  I  landed  at  Melnos  I  was  called 
nothing  else  but  Crispin." 

"  Or  Creespeen,  as  the  Count  calls  you." 

''Yes;  Caliphronas  is  a  good  English  speaker,  but  he 
makes  mistakes  in  proper  names.  You  observe  he  never 
risks  saying  Eoylands,  but  always  addresses  you  as  Mr. 
Maurice  —  Maurice  is  of  course  a  Greek  name." 

"  And  how  w^as  Caliphronas  responsible  for  your  leaving 
Melnos  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it  was  a  kind  of  Esau  and  Jacob  business.  I  was 
Esau,  and  Andros  Jacob,  the  favored  one.  Justinian  thought 
me  rather  a  milksop,  because  I  did  not  care  about  our  pirati- 
cal excursions  with  Alcibiades,  in  which  Caliphronas,  born 
scamp  as  he  was,  delighted.  At  all  events,  Caliphronas,  in 
order  to  curry  favor  with  Justinian,  and  secure  his  own  well- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  149 

being,  did  his  best  to  estrange  us  still  further,  and  very  soon 
my  adopted  father  broke  out  into  open  hatred  of  me.  One 
day,  when  I  refused  to  join  in  one  of  Alcibiades'  little  trips 
in  search  of  plunder,  he  taunted  me  with  being  a  man  of 
peace,  like  my  father ;  and,  when  I  demanded  who  my 
lather  was,  refused  to  tell  me  anything  more  than  that  I  was 
illegitimate.  From  words  we  came  to  blows,  for  both  of  us 
were  very  hot-tempered,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  Justinian 
ordered  me  to  leave  the  island,  much  to  the  delight  of  Cal- 
iphronas,  who  wanted  to  secure  it  to  himself." 

"  And  you  left  Melnos  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  could  not  help  myself,  as  Justinian  had  plenty  of 
scoundrels  to  do  his  bidding ;  and,  had  he  given  the  word,  I 
have  no  doubt  Alcibiades  would  have  put  a  stone  round  my 
neck,  and  dropped  me  into  the  sea." 

"  But,  my  dear  Crispin,  all  this  lawlessness  nowadays  ! " 

Crispin  shrugged  his  shoulders  with  a  smile. 

'•'  My  dear  fellow,  you  gentlemen  of  England,  who  live  at 
home  in  ease,  do  not  know  what  lawlessness  still  exists  in 
the  East.  To  be  sure,  I  speak  of  over  ten  years  ago,  and 
things  are  better  now ;  still,  I  think  a  good  many  things  go 
on  in  the  vicinity  of  Melnos  which  Justice  would  scarcely 
approve  of ;  but,  as  long  as  nothing  very  bad  happens,  why, 
she  winks  at  small  crimes.  If  I  had  been  dropped  into  the 
sea,  who  would  have  been  a  bit  the  wiser  ?  no  one  except 
the  islanders,  and  they  would  not  have  troubled  themselves 
over  such  a  trifle,  especially  as  I  was  not  popular  among 
them.  Caliphronas,  Justinian,  and  Alcibiades  are  all  their 
divinities,  not  a  poor  poet  like  me,  who  shrinks  from  their 
scampish  ways." 

"  So  you  left  Melnos  in  the  end  ?  " 

"Yes;  like  the  boy  in  the  fairy  tale,  I  went  out  into  the 
wide,  wide  world  to  seek  my  fortune.  I  managed  to  work 
my  passage  to  Athens,  and  arrived  there  without  even  the 
traditional  penny.  Fortunately,  I  knew  modern  Greek  and 
English  thoroughly  well,  so  was  fortunate  enough  to  obtain 
a  situation  as  a  corresponding  clerk  in  a  firm  of  merchants 
who  traded  with  England,  but  I  did  not  remain  there  long." 

"  Where  did  you  make  all  your  money  ?  " 

"  Ah,  that  is  what  I  am  now  going  to  tell  you.  Fortune 
evidently  wished  to  make  reparation  for  having  brought  me 
into  the  world  with  a  stigma  on  my  name,  so  threw  me  into 
the  way  of  a  rich  Englishman,  whom  I  met  at  the  house  of 
my  employer*     He  heard  my  story,  and  was  much  impressed 


150  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

with  it ;  and  then  discovered  that  I  had  the  talent  to  string 
verses  together,  and  also  a  faculty  for  music.  Being  pas- 
sionately fond  of  such  things  he  made  up  his  mind  that  he 
had  discovered  a  genius ;  and,  being  without  a  relative  in 
the  world,  he  adopted  me  as  his  son  and  made  me  his  heir." 

"You  seem  to  have  passed  your  life  in  being  adopted,"' 
said  Maurice,  who  was  deeply  interested  in  this  romantic 
history. 

*'Only  twice.  First  Justinian,  then  my  English  father. 
I  need  not  tell  you  his  name,  as  I  did  not  take  it,  preferring 
to  be  called  Crispin  until  such  time  as  I  discovered  my  real 
parent.  Well,  my  benefactor,  who  was  very  learned,  began 
to  educate  me,  and  also  placed  me  at  school.  I  suppose  I 
made  good  use  of  my  time,  as  I  soon  became  sufficiently 
accomplished  to  win  his  approval.  We  travelled  all  over 
the  Continent  —  a  great  deal  in  the  East  —  until  I  was  about 
twenty -seven  years  of  age,  when  he  died  at  Damascus,  and 
left  me  heir  to  all  his  property,  amounting  to  about  twelve 
thousand  a  year." 

"  Fortunate  man  ! " 

"  Yes  ;  I  thought  I  was  too  fortunate,  and  had  some  com- 
punction in  taking  so  large  an  income,  fearing  lest  I  might 
be  robbing  some  relative  of  my  benefactor  more  entitled  to 
it.  When  I  buried  my  adopted  father  at  Damascus,  I  came 
to  England  and  saw  his  lawyers,  who  were  quite  satisfied 
with  my  identity,  owing  to  the  papers  which  I  produced.  The 
will,  of  course,  was  in  their  possession,  as  my  benefactor  had 
returned  to  England  when  I  was  at  school,  and  made  his  will 
in  my  favor.  The  lawyers  told  me  that  there  were  no  rela- 
tives alive,  and  that  I  was  justly  entitled  to  spend  the 
money,  so  that  is  how  I  became  rich.  The  rest  of  my  life 
you  know." 

"  You  published  a  volume  of  poems,  became  the  mystery 
of  London,  saw  Eunice,  fell  in  love  with  her,  and  came  down 
to  the  Grange — yes,  I  know  all  that;  but  have  you  made 
no  effort  to  discover  who  you  are  ?  " 

"Yes.  I  went  toMelnos  three  years  ago  and  saw  Justin- 
ian, but  he  refused  to  help  me  in  any  way  ;  so  I  returned  to 
England  in  despair.  Now,  however,  I  am  going  back  with 
certain  knowledge  of  Justinian's  past  life,  which  I  will 
make  use  of  to  force  him  to  tell  me  what  I  wish  to  know." 

"  You  don't  believe  his  story  about  your  illegitimacy  ?  " 

"No.  If  I  can  get  the  truth  out  of  him  I  believe  I  will  find 
I  have  a  right  to  a  legal  surname,  and  I  am  anxious  to  estab- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  151 

lish  this  fact  in  order  to  marry  Eunice.  As  it  is,  I  cannot 
marry  her  without  inflicting  on  her  the  disgrace  I  feel  my- 
self ;  besides,  her  motlier  would  not  consent  to  the  marriage, 
nor  would  you." 

"  My  dear  fellow,  I  am  not  so  narrow-minded  as  all  that." 

"Still,  I  know  your  English  prejudices.  You  say  that 
out  of  kindness,  but  if  your  cousin  marries,  you  would  pre- 
fer her  husband  to  have  a  spotless  name." 

"Certainly." 

"Then  I  am  going  to  make  Justinian  give  me  one.  I 
know,  if  he  tells  the  truth,  I  will  discover  I  have  been  born 
in  wedlock.  Of  his  own  free  will  he  refuses  to  tell  me  ;  now, 
however,  owing  to  my  knowledge  of  his  past,  I  can  force  his 
confidence." 

"  And  what  about  Helena  ?  " 

"  She  is  Justinian's  daughter.  There  is  no  stain  on  her 
birth  ;  so  if  you  love  her,  as  I  am  sure  you  will,  you  can 
marry  her  without  fear." 

"  Her  father  seems  rather  a  terrible  old  person." 

"  He  is  a  scamp,  I  am  afraid.  Still,  he  is  a  man  of  good 
family." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  have  made  certain  discoveries  while  in  England,  and 
now  know  more  about  Justinian  than  he  thinks." 

"  Is  Helena  as  charming  as  she  looks  ?  "  asked  Maurice 
anxiously. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Crispin  emphatically.  "  She  is  a  pure, 
good  woman,  and  will  make  you  an  excellent  wife ;  but  you 
have  a  rival." 

"  Alcibiades  ?  " 

"  No  ;  Caliphronas." 

"I  thought  as  much,"  said  Maurice,  with  a  start,  remem- 
bering the  Greek's  jealousy  concerning  the  portrait.  ^*  But 
if  he  loves  Helena,  why  did  he  show  me  her  picture,  which 
has  been  my  sole  reason  for  this  journey  ?  " 

"  Wheels  within  wheels  !  "  replied  Crispin  significantly. 

"  More  mystery  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  there  are  still  some  things  for  you  to  learn,  but  I 
cannot  tell  you  of  them  now,  as  I  have  made  a  promise." 

"  To  whom  ?  " 

"  Caliphronas." 

"  Caliphronas  !  "  cried  that  gentleman,  who  had  approached 
them  quietly  5  "  and  what  are  you  saying  about  Caliphro- 
nas ?  " 


152  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"A  good  many  things,"  said  Crispin  rapidly,  in  Greek. 
"  I  have  been  telling  him  who  I  am." 

The  Greek  flushed  with  rage,  and  then  he  laughed. 

"That  is  your  business,  but  I  trust  you  did  not  break 
faith  ?  " 

"About  Justinian,  no;  about  Helena,  no;  but  I  have  told 
him  all  your  early  life." 

Caliphronas  made  a  dart  at  Crispin  with  uplifted  hand,  but 
Maurice  sprang  up  and  caught  him  in  his  arms,  where  he 
writhed  like  an  eel. 

"  Traitor  !  "  he  hissed  in  Greek  ;  "  traitor  ! " 


CHAPTEE   XIV. 

THE    devil's    philosophy. 

.  Why  should  I  call  mankind  my  brothers, 
Or  live  but  for  the  good  of  others  ? 
'Twould  bring  me  neither  pain  nor  pleasure, 
Nor  give  me  comfort,  joy,  or  treasure. 
Myself  by  Nature's  law  I  cherish  ; 
If  I  am  saved,  let  others  perish ; 
For  if  ill  luck  Dame  Fortune  gave  me, 
None  v^ould  stretch  out  a  hand  to  save  me. 
"While  life  to  me  means  w^ealth  or  laughter, 
Themselves  all  paupers  can  look  after; 
Than  me  for  hardships  they  are  fitter, 
I  taste  the  sweet  and  they  the  bitter. 
But  if  such  selfish  maxims  hurt  you, 
Then  live  your  life  of  silly  virtue. 
Let  men  defraud  you  in  life's  barter, 
And  you  will  be  —  a  social  martyr. 

The  two  men  stood  looking  at  one  another  in  silence  for 
quite  a  minute,  Crispin  cool  and  com.posed,  the  Greek  fuming 
with  anger.  At  length  Caliphronas  burst  out  laughing,  and 
Maurice,  seeing  he  was  now  master  of  his  actions,  let  him  go, 
whereon  he  flung  himself  into  a  chair,  with  a  cynical  smile 
on  his  handsome  face. 

"  So  this  dear  Creespeen  has  told  you  who  I  am,  and  what 
I  am,"  he  said,  looking  insolently  at  Maurice.  "'  Well,  and 
what  do  you  think  of  me  ?  " 

"  You  would  hardly  feel  flattered  if  I  told  you,"  retorted 
Roylands,  lighting  his  cigarette  once  more. 

"  Ah,  bah  !     Praise  or  blame  is  all  the  same  to  me.     Oh, 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  158 

I  know  your  dull  English  respectability  which  shudders  at 
the  truth.  Yet  I  dare  say,  with  my  little  excursions  with 
Alcibiades,  my  assuming  of  a  false  name,  my  philosophy  of 
enjoying  myself  at  the  expense  of  others,  I  am  no  worse  than 
many  of  your  holy  people,  who  go  to  church,  and,  under  the 
guise  of  self-denial,  enjoy  all  that  life  can  give.  I  may  be 
what  you  call  bad,  but  I  am  at  least  not  a  hypocrite." 
"  By  which  remark  I  presume  you  infer  I  am  one." 
"  No,  I  do  not.  You  have  not  enough  character  to  make 
you  either  bad  or  good.  You  lead  a  dull,  respectable  life, 
because  you  like  dull  respectability.  If  you  had  leanings  in 
the  other  direction,  I  will  do  you  the  justice  to  say  that  I 
have  no  doubt  you  would  not  have  concealed  them  from  the 
world." 

"Thank  you,"  replied  Maurice  dryly;  "your  opinion  of 
my  character  is  most  gratifying." 

"As  to  you,  Creespeen,"  said  Caliphronas,  turning  to  the 
poet  with  an  evil  smile,  "  I  knew  you  were  prudish  in  many 
ways,  a  milksop  as  Justinian  called  you,  and  a  man  afraid 
of  going  against  the  opinion  of  the  world,  but  I  did  not 
know  you  were  an  oath-breaker  nor  a  tale-bearer." 

"  Nor  am  I,"  answered  Crispin,  keeping  his  temper  won- 
derfully under  the  insults  of  the  Greek,  for,  after  all,  it 
would  have  been  worse  than  useless  to  quarrel  with  him. 

"  I  did  not  tell  about  Justinian,  or  of  anything  connected 
with  your  visit  to  England.  All  I  revealed  was  my  own  life 
and  your  real  character,  which  it  is  only  right  my  friend 
should  know." 

"  As  for  that,"  retorted  Caliphronas  carelessly,  "  I  do  not 
mmd.  Mask  on,  mask  off,  it  is  all  the  same  to  me;  but,  as 
regards  what  I  told  you  in  confidence,  I  am  glad  you  were 
wise  enough  not  to  reveal  it,  as  you  would  have  to  settle 
accounts  with  Justinian,  not  with  me." 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  Justinian,"  said  Crispin,  with  su- 
preme contempt. 

"What  is  this  secret?"  asked  Maurice  quickly;  "if  it 
refers  to  me,  I  have  a  right  to  know  it." 

"  It  does  not  refer  to  you,"  replied  Caliphronas  menda- 
ciously;  "it  concerns  Justinian,  and  what  it  is  you  will  learn 
before  you  are  many  days  on  Melnos." 

"I  do  not  generally  boast  about  myself,"  said  Maurice 
quickly,  "but  if  you  and  your  precious  Justinian  are  up  to 
any  tricks,  you  will  find  me  an  awkward  customer  to  deal 
with." 


154  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  No  harm  is  intended,  Mr.  Maurice.'' 

"  Upon  my  word,  sir,  your  insolence  is  unbounded,"  said 
Roylands,  sitting  upright  in  his  indignation.  "  I  am  going 
to  make  a  tour  of  the  Greek  islands,  yet  you  talk  as  if  I  were 
coming  on  a  visit  to  3-ou  —  being  decoyed,  as  it  were,  into  a 
robber's  cave.  I  don't  care  two  straws  about  your  •  no  harm 
is  intended,'  and  you  may  be  certain  if  there  is  any  trouble 
it  will  be  for  you,  not  for  me.  Really,"  continued  Maurice, 
laughing  at  the  comicality  of  the  situation,  "  one  would  think 
we  lived  in  the  days  of  filibusters  and  buccaneers  the  way  you 
talk." 

Caliphronas  was  not  put  out  in  the  least  by  this  speech, 
and,  leaning  back  in  his  chair,  looked  at  Maurice  with  a  lazy 
smile. 

'•  There  is  no  pleasure  without  an  element  of  danger,"  he 
said  coolly,  placing  his  hands  behind  his  head,  "and  you 
may  have  adventures  before  you  leave  Melnos." 

Struck  by  the  significance  of  his  tone,  Maurice  looked 
keenly  at  him,  and  then  turned  to  Crispin  with  a  puzzled 
air. 

"  My  dear  fellow,  will  you  explain  this  riddle  ?  " 

"There  is  nothing  to  explain,"  said  Crispin,  with  a  yawn; 
"  you  know  the  way  Caliphronas  exaggerates.  I  suppose  he 
wants  to  make  out  that  Melnos  is  a  barbaric  place,  and  that 
this  cruise  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  journey  into  Darkest 
Africa." 

"I  have  heard  more  nonsense  to-night  than  I  ever  heard 
before  in  my  life,"  said  Maurice,  still  rufiled.  "Pseudo- 
counts,  patriarchal  knights,  islands  of  fantasy,  hintings  of 
dangers.     It  is  like  a  novel  of  adventure." 

Caliphronas  laughed,  but  said  nothing,  while  Crispin 
knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe  and  refilled  it  finally  for  a 
hist  smoke  before  turning  in. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  very  shocked  at  Creespeen's  flattering 
description  of  me,"  remarked  the  Count  calmly. 

"'  Hm  !  I  hardly  know.  You  are  a  picturesque  scamp,  but 
only  a  soamp  for  all  that." 

"  This  candor  is  delightful." 

"  Caliphronas,"  observed  Crispin,  settling  himself  into  a 
more  comfortable  attitude,  "  is  a  gentleman  who  believes 
that  Number  One  is  the  greatest  number." 

"  Every  one  in  the  world  does  that,  my  dear  Creespeen." 

"  Probably,  but  they  don't  show  it  so  openly  as  you  do." 

"  Hypocrites ! " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  155 

^I  dare  say,  but  a  certain  amount  of  hypocrisy  is  necessary 
in  this  world  of  shams." 

Maurice  looked  at  Count  Constantine  with  an  amused 
smile. 

"  Caliphronas,  you  are  a  most  unique  person,  and  I  would 
like  to  know  your  views  of  life." 

"Make  money  honestly  if  you  can — but  make  money." 

"  I  thought  you  were  a  child  of  Nature,  who  cared  nothing 
for  money." 

"  You  are  right  in  one  way,  Mr.  Maurice.  For  money  as 
money  I  care  nothing,  but  I  like  luxuries  which  only  money 
can  buy,  and  therefore  desire  money." 

"  Epigrammatic,  decidedly  !  but  your  free,  open-ai"  life  — 
your  love  of  mountains,  waves,  winds,  skies  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  love  all  those  things  very  much.  Still,  I  go 
to  Athens  sometimes  for  amusement,  and  amusement  requires 
money." 

"  You  are  certainly  candid." 

"  I  am ;  when  I  have  nothing  to  gain,  I  am  always 
candid." 

"  And  you  have  nothing  to  gain  now  ?  " 

"No.  I  paid  a  visit  to  England  —  out  of  curiosity,"  said 
Caliphronas,  hesitating  over  the  last  words.  "  I  met  there 
my  dear  old  friend  Creespeen,  and  also  yourself.  Both  of 
you  are  returning  with  me  to  the  land  I  love  —  so,  what  with 
your  company  and  my  home-coming,  I  have  absolutely  noth- 
ing to  wish  for." 

"  So  you  are  that  vara  avis,  a  thoroughly  satisfied  man  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  so,"  replied  Caliphronas  coolly.  "  No  —  stay 
—  I  do  desire  one  thing  which  I  hope  to  obtain." 

"  I  can  guess  what  that  one  thing  is." 

"  Indeed  I  pray  tell  me." 

"Well,  it  is  not  your  mythical  Fanariot  at  Constanti- 
nople." 

"  Mythical  ?  " 

"Yes.  Oh,  don't  be  angry,  Count  Caliphronas!  I  now 
know  *he  reason  you  were  so  angry  over  that  photograph." 

"  If  you  do,"  said  the  Greek,  restraining  himself  with  dif- 
ficulty, "you  will  know  how  to  act  wisely." 

"  Possibly ;  I  have  already  arranged  my  plan  of  action." 

"Keally?" 

Caliphronas  had  a  fleeting  smile  on  his  lips  as  he  said  this, 
but  looked  so  dangerous  that  Crispin  touched  Maurice  on  the 
arm. 


156  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Do  not  irritate  him  any  more  ;  remember  lie  is  my  guest, 
and  I  cannot  be  impolite." 

Maurice  took  the  hint,  and  addressed  himself  to  the  Count 
with  an  air  of  elaborate  politeness. 

''  Don't  let  us  talk  any  more  about  possibilities,  Count," 
he  said,  laughing.  "  After  all,  I  have  some  right  to  be  angry, 
considering  how  you  masqueraded  as  a  count  in  England." 

"And  now  I  am  a  wolf,  eh  ?"  said  Caliphronas,  showing 
his  white  teeth ;  "  bah !  a  wolf  may  be  a  very  pleasant 
animal." 

"  Maybe,  but  from  all  accounts  he  is  not." 

"  That  is  as  you  take  him  ;  but  then  I  know  Creespeen  has 
prejudiced  you  against  me." 

"I  have  done  nothing  of  the  sort,"  protested  the  poet 
quietly  ;  "  I  only  told  him  how  you  were  accustomed  to 
associate  with  Alcibiades." 

"  Eh,  and  why  not  ?  My  friend  Alcibiades  is  not  a  bad 
man, — a  good  honest  trader  who  sails  about  among  the 
islands  of  the  ^gean.  I  will  introduce  you  to  him,  Mr. 
Maurice,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  like  him.  After  all,  our 
little  piratical  excursions  are  very  innocent  —  no  bloodshed 
—  no  violence  —  no  burning  of  houses  ;  we  —  we  only  levy 
toll,  so  to  speak." 

"  What  a  pleasant  way  of  putting  it ! " 

"  What  does  it  matter  if  you  take  openly  or  take  secretly  ? 
the  thing  is  the  same,  but  only  the  mode  of  doing  it  is  dif- 
ferent. What  we  do  in  Greece,  you  do  in  England,  but, 
simply  because  the  latter  is  done  under  the  rose  and  the 
former  is  not,  your  robbers  of  London  are  good,  honest  men, 
whereas  we  poor  Greeks  of  the  islands  are  scamps.  Xever 
mind,  when  we  become  as  civilized  as  you,  we  also  will  mask 
our  wickedness  under  the  cloak  of  sanctity." 

"Oh,"  cried  Crispin,  suddenly  rising  to  his  feet,  "I  am 
tired  of  this  discussion  !  it  is  all  aimless  —  about  no  one  and 
no  thing.     I  am  going  to  turn  in." 

"And  I  —  am  not,"  added  Caliphronas,  springing  to  his 
feet;  "fancy  going  down  to  a  close  cabin  with  such  glories 
as  this  outside  ! " 

He  waved  his  arms  aloft,  where  the  brilliant  sky  smiled 
down  on  the  still  waters.  Indeed,  so  placid  was  the  sea  that 
the  stars,  moon,  and  clouds  were  all  reflected  therein  as  in  a 
mirror,  and  the  yacht  seemed  to  hang  passive  in  the  centre 
of  a  scintillating,  hollow  ball. 

"When  do  we  reach  Melnos  ?  "  asked  Maurice  abruptly, 
as  Caliphronas  strolled  away  to  the  other  end  of  the  ship. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  15T 

"  To-morrow  evening,"  replied  Crispin,  pausing  at  the  door 
of  the  cabin.  "  We  will  sleep  on  board,  and  visit  Justinian 
in  the  morning." 

"Crispin,  is  there  anything  in  those  veiled  threats  ot 
Caliphronas  ?  " 

"Perhaps,"  replied  the  poet  vaguely.  "Caliphronas  is  a 
dangerous  man,  and  is,  as  I  have  told  you,  a  favorite  of 
Justinian's.  Howev.er,  I  would  not  be  surprised  if  Justinian 
dismissed  Andros  and  put  you  in  his  place." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Maurice  in  haughty  surprise,  "but  I 
have  no  ambition  to  occupy  such  a  position." 

"Maurice,"  said  Crispin  suddenly,  "I  wish  I  could  tell  you 
all  I  know,  but,  unfortunately,  I  gave  my  word  to  Caliphronas 
not  to  do  so  as  long  as  you  were  not  harmed  in  any  way." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  tell  you,  but  only  this,  which  may  perhaps  serve 
as  a  warning,  —  Caliphronas  came  to  Roylands  on  purpose  to 
get  you  to  journey  to  Melnos." 

"  And  his  reason  ?  " 

"  I  know  it,  but  I  cannot  tell  you.  However,  if  you  should 
be  in  any  danger,  —  and  I  will  not  conceal  from  you  that 
there  may  be  danger,  —  I  will  consider  my  promise  void  and 
tell  you  all." 

"  All  what  ?  " 

"  All  about  Caliphronas,  Justinian,  and  Helena." 

"  Is  she  in  this  plot  also  ?  " 

"  Plot !  yes,  it  is  a  plot,  the  reason  of  which  I  know  not. 
Helena  is  to  a  certain  extent  mixed  up  in  it,  but  innocently, 
you  may  be  sure." 

"  I  cannot  understand  all  this." 

"  Never  mind,  as  long  as  I  understand  it  you  will  not  suffer. 
Caliphronas,  as  I  have  told  you,  is  a  scamp,  and  will  pause 
at  nothing  to  gratify  his  own  desire.  He  lured  you  to  Mel- 
nos for  a  purpose,  but  he  did  not  count  on  my  presence. 
Listen !  he  thinks  we  have  gone  below,  and  is  telling  his 
secrets  to  the  stars." 

And  at  this  moment,  as  if  Caliphronas  knew  the  subject- 
matter  of  their  conversation,  in  the  far  distance  he  broke  out 
into  a  rich  burst  of  song,  the  gist  of  which  Crispin  rapidly 
translated  to  Maurice. 

"  The  net  is  spread  and  the  prey  is  near, 
Drive  him  into  the  entanglement. 
Ho!  my  noble  stag  of  Olympus,  you  are  helpless, 
And  the  spear  of  the  hunter  will  drink  your  blood 
Before  the  dawn  sets  rosy  foot  on  blushing  mountain-top." 


158  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"You  see,"  said  Crispin  significantly,  after  translating 
this,  "  he  talks  in  parables,  but  you  can  guess  his  meaning ; 
but  do  not  be  afraid.     You  trust  me,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  trust  you,"  replied  Maurice,  grasping  the  hand 
held  out  to  him. 

"  That  is  right,  my  friend  —  good-night." 

When  Crispin  disappeared,  Maurice  went  to  the  stern  of 
the  ship,  and,  leaning  over  the  talfrail,  fell  into  deep  medita- 
tion over  the  strange  circumstances  in  which  he  was  envi- 
roned. Caliphronas,  sitting  by  the  bowsprit,  was  swaying 
up  and  down  with  the  pitching  of  the  yacht,  singing  songs, 
now  soft,  now  loud,  but  this  was  the  only  sound  of  humanity 
heard.  The  sough  of  the  wind  through  the  rigging,  the 
dreary  wash  of  the  sea,  as  the  ship  cut  her  way  tlirough  the 
glittering  plain ;  the  rustle  of  the  cordage,  the  beating  of 
the  screw,  — he  could  hear  all  these  blending  with  the  fitful 
voice  of  the  Greek.  The  moon  had  retired  behind  a  thick 
bank  of  black  clouds,  which  foreboded  storm,  and  the  moonlit 
world  was  now  shadowy,  vast,  vague,  and  strange,  —  a  world 
of  shadows  and  ghosts,  with  the  swift  steamer  gliding 
onward  into  the  unknown  seas  —  into  the  unknown  future. 

Maurice  Roy  lands  was  not  what  one  might  call  a  strong- 
minded  man,  for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  he  had  that  subtle  touch 
of  indecision  which  is  often  found  in  artktic  natures.  He 
was  very  impressionable,  and  surrounding  circumstances  had 
a  great  effect  on  his  temperament  —  still,  when  he  saw  his 
way  clearly  before  him,  he  was  quite  capable  of  making  up 
his  mind,  and  carrying  out  his  determination  to  the  end. 
But  he  could  never  make  up  his  mind  prompth^,  as  he 
wavered  this  way,  that  way,  according  as  he  was  biassed  by 
circumstances.  Had  he  been  of  a  firm,  decisive  nature,  he 
would  never  have  yielded  to  that  pitiable  melancholia  which 
seized  him  in  London,  and  would  thus  have  been  spared  much 
suffering.  Still,  in  spite  of  this  latent  weakness  of  charac- 
ter, which  always  developed  itself  in  time  of  trouble,  he  was 
a  brave  man,  with  plenty  of  pluck.  In  England,  notwith- 
standing his  Bohemian  existence,  his  life  had  gone  on  too 
smoothly  to  call  his  moral  characteristics  into  any  special 
prominence,  but  now,  surrounded  as  he  was  by  vague  mys- 
teries, he  felt  doubtful. 

Hitherto  his  existence  had  been  but  prosaic,  but  now  the 
element  of  romance  had  entered  into  it,  and  he  felt  that  he 
was  being  passively  drawn  into  a  series  of  strange  adven- 
tureSj  the  subsequent  termination  of  which,  either  for  good 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  159 

or  evil,  lay  not  in  his  own  hands.  Caliphronas  had  come  to 
England  with  the  deliberate  intention  of  luring  him  to 
Melnos  ;  but  what  was  his  reason  for  this  strange  conduct  ? 
Certainly  Crispin  knew,  but  Crispin,  fettered  by  his  promise 
of  secrecy,  was  unable  to  solve  the  problem.  The  strangest 
thing  of  all  was  that  Caliphronas  had  made  use  of  the  pic- 
ture of  a  girl  he  loved,  to  decoy  Maurice  to  the  East,  which 
line  of  conduct  struck  the  young  man  as  most  unaccountable. 

If  Caliphronas  was  in  love  with  Helena,  it  was  foolish  of 
him  to  encourage,  as  he  had  undoubtedly  done,  the  love  of  a 
rival ;  and  the  result  of  two  men  loving  one  woman  must  be 
unsatisfactory  to  one  of  them.  Of  course,  Maurice  saw  that 
Caliphronas,  confident  in  his  beauty  of  person  and  powers  of 
fascination,  never  for  a  moment  doubted  the  final  result ; 
still,  what  was  the  reason  of  his  taking  a  trip  to  England 
especially  to  bring  a  rival  into  the  presence  of  the  woman  ? 
The  more  Maurice  thought  about  this,  the  more  extraordinary 
did  it  seem,  and,  as  the  whole  was  a  decided  enigma,  his 
doubts  arose  as  to  what  was  the  best  course  to  pursue  under 
these  very  extraordinary  circumstances. 

True,  Crispin,  being  in  possession  of  the  true  facts  of  the 
case,  would  help  him,  for  the  poet  was  an  honest  man, 
and  would  not  stand  idly  by  in  time  of  trouble ;  still, 
there  was  something  in  the  affair  of  which  even  Crispin 
was  ignorant,  as  he  had  confessed,  and  this  mysterious 
something  was  connected  in  some  way  with  Justinian.  Mau- 
rice, after  long  pondering,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  with 
Justinian  lay  the  whole  solution  of  the  matter,  and,  as  he 
could  decide  on  no  course  of  action  until  he  had  seen  Jus- 
tinian himself,  all  he  could  do  was  to  remain  passive  and 
trust  to  Providence. 

'•  One  thing  is  certain,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he  watched 
the  gray  waters  swirling  past,  "  I  can  depend  on  Crispin,  and 
as  he  knows  Caliphronas  thoroughly,  that  consummate  scamp 
will  hesitate  before  he  takes  any  action  adverse  to  ray  inter- 
ests. But  Justinian  seems  so  mixed  up  in  the  affair,  and  ap- 
parently without  any  reason  whatsoever.  He  has  lived  in 
this  Greek  island  all  his  life.  Englishman  though  he  is,  so 
why  he  should  desire  to  see  a  complete  stranger  like  myself 
I  do  not  know.  Well,  the  only  thing  I  can  do  is  to  trust 
blindly  in  Crispin,  for  I  am  sure  he  will  not  fail  me.  Apart 
from  his  friendship  for  me,  it  would  be  against  his  own  in- 
terests to  play  false,  as  he  would  then  never  be  able  to  marry 
Eunice.     Time  alone  will  unravel  all  this  perplexity,  so  to 


160  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

time  will  I  trust.  After  all,  I  am  young  and  strong,  so  can 
defend  myself  if  necessary.  And  then  there  is  Helena; 
whatever  happens  I  shall  see  her  —  I  will  see  Helena, 
and"  — 

"  Eh,  Mr.  Maurice,"  said  the  voice  of  Caliphronas  behind 
him,  "you  have  not  gone  to  bed." 

"  No,  I  am  thinking." 

"  I  can  guess  your  thoughts." 

Maurice  made  no  reply  to  this  invitation  to  argue,  but, 
with  a  curt  "  Good-night,"  went  below,  while  in  his  ears  rang 
the  cruel,  mocking  laugh  of  the  Greek,  as  he  repeated  rapidly 
in  a  singing  tone  the  name  of  his  mistress,  — 

"  Helena,  Helena,  Helena ! " 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    STORM. 

Dark  storm-clouds  spread  from  pole  to  pole, 
The  lightnings  flash,  the  thunders  roll, 
And  lo,  the  sea,  in  mountains  high, 
With  giant  billows  storms  the  sky, 
While  all  the  vast  disturbed  main 
Is  veiled  in  whirling  mist  and  rain. 
Betwixt  the  flying  scud  and  spume, 
A  ship  drifts  onward  to  her  doom; 
She  flies  before  the  raging  gale, 
With  broken  mast  and  tattered  sail; 
While  up  through  pitchy  darkness  rolls 
Despairing  cries  of  drowning  souls. 

Having  passed  the  Island  of  Cythera  during  the  night,  by 
next  morning  the  yacht  was  ploughing  the  placid  waters  of 
the  Cretan  Sea.  Placid  waters  these  generally  are,  especially 
during  the  months  of  the  halcyon,  but  now  a  stiff  breeze  was 
blowing  steadily  from  the  north,  which  by  noon  increased  to 
a  fierce  gale.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  there  appeared 
nothing  but  a  vast  expanse  of  tumbling  waves,  their  white- 
ness above  accentuated  by  the  green  blackness  below,  as  they 
flung  their  shattered  spray  as  in  derision  against  the  grim 
sky.  Threatening  masses  of  gloomy  clouds  Idij  along  the 
northern  horizon,  fronted  by  the  bleak  island  of  Santorin, 
which  scowled  in  savage  grandeur  in  the  cloudy  distance. 
Gray  sky,  gray  sea,  driving  rain^  and  sudden  gusts  of  wind, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  161 

making  the  streaming  sails  crack  like  pistol-shots  with  the 
violent  lurching  of  the  vessel ;  —  it  was  like  a  North  Sea  pic- 
ture; nor  would  any  one  surveying  the  dreary  scene  have  be- 
lieved the  boat  was  sailing  over  the  enchanting  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean. 

The  three  gentlemen,  after  an  uncomfortable  breakfast, 
owing  to  the  rolling  of  the  yacht,  which  upset  everything  on 
the  table  in  spite  of  the  fiddles,  were  now  on  deck,  holding 
on  to  whatever  they  could  support  themselves  by,  for  The 
Eunice  tossing  about  like  a  cork  in  the  yeasty  surge,  made  it 
no  small  difficulty  for  those  on  board  to  retain  their  equili- 
brium. Wrapped  up  in  oilskins,  they  were  sufficiently  dry 
and  warm,  for,  in  spite  of  the  mist  and  drenching  rain,  the 
weather  was  not  in  the  least  chilly — a  thing  to  be  thankful 
for  in  such  a  predicament.  The  yacht  schooner,  rigged  fore 
and  aft,  was  a  capital  sea  boat ;  so,  apprehending  no  danger, 
they  joked  and  laughed  during  the  lulls  of  the  gale  at  their 
hardships,  and  gazed  with  interest  on  the  wild  spectacle 
afforded  by  the  seething  waters.  Maurice  and  the  poet  were 
comforting  themselves  with  tobacco,  while  Caliphronas,  ex- 
cited by  the  wildness  of  the  scene,  was  clinging  to  the 
w^eather  rigging,  and  facing  the  keen  whips  of  wind,  rain, 
and  spray  like  some  antique  sea-god.  Occasionally  he  would 
shout  out  a  few  sentences  to  his  companions,  but,  owing  to 
the  tumult  around,  they  could  only  catch  his  meaning  every 
now  and  then. 

"  Often  like  this  —  ^gean !  —  sudden  gales  —  have  no 
fear." 

"Confound  that  man!"  growled  Maurice,  who  was  stand- 
ing shoulder  to  shoulder  with  Crispin;  "he  thinks  no  one 
has  any  pluck  but  himself." 

"  On  the  contrary,  he  is  trying  to  keep  up  his  spirits," 
replied  Crispin,  steadying  himself  with  difficulty  as  the 
yacht  took  a  big  dip  into  the  trough  of  the  sea  ;  "  there  is  a 
good  deal  of  brag  about  Caliphronas,  but  if  we  were  in  any 
real  danger  he  would  not  crow  so  loudly.  These  Greeks  are 
all  afraid  of  the  sea;  and  if  the  colonization  of  the  world 
had  been  left  to  them,  I  am  afraid  America  would  never 
have  been  discovered." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  they  are  always  afraid  of  venturing  out  of  sight 
of  the  land.  "They  slip  about  boldly  enough  among  these 
isles  of  Elishah,  as  Ezekiel  calls  them,  but  if  they  lose  sight 
of  Mother  Earth,  all  their  courage  leaves  them.     Their  Hel- 


162  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

lenic  ancestors  were  just  the  same,  for  all  their  poets  call 
Ocean  names,  such  as  'a  hungry  beast,'  'a  ravenous  mon- 
ster, and  similar  pleasant  titles.  I  think  Homer,  with  his 
'  multitudinous  laughter  of  the  sea,'  is  the  only  poet  Avho 
pays  Ocean  a  compliment." 

"  Yet  the  Greek  genius  has  produced  a  great  sea  drama  in 
the  '  Odyssey.' " 

"A  voyage  of  necessity,  not  pleasure  —  Man  the  sport  of 
the  unjust  gods;  but  I  fancy  Ulysses  had  a  touch  of  the  ad- 
venturous Phoenician  in  his  blood.  Besides,  Greek  bravery 
produced  a  great  sea  drama  at  Salamis ;  yet,  withal,  I  de- 
cline to  believe  the  Hellenes,  ancient  or  modern,  were 
sailors." 

"  Yet  Arnold  calls  them  •  The  young,  light-hearted  mas- 
ters of  the  wave.' " 

"A  charming  line,  which  applies  but  to  ^gean  waters. 
Masters  of  the  wave,  forsooth !  Why,  they  were  never  mas- 
ters of  anything  liquid  larger  than  a  puddle.  The  Greeks 
never  loved  Nature  in  her  grandest  moods,  and — saving 
^schylus — both  shaggy  mountain  and  roaring  waters  were 
alien  to  their  genius." 

"  Yet  they  loved  Nature." 

"Nature  the  Mother,  not  Nature  the  Enemy.  Hill, 
meadow,  wood,  fountain,  river,  they  loved ;  but  mountain 
and  ocean  they  feared." 

"  Would  a  Greek  Wordsworth  have  been  possible  ?  " 

"  Ah,  now  you  open  up  a  large  field  of  inquiry  !  No;  I  do 
not  think  the  actual  spirituality  of  Wordsworth  would  have 
appealed  to  a  Greek.  The  Hellenic  poet  of  that  class  would 
have  been  like  Keats  —  he  would  have  sung  exquisitely  of  vital- 
ized Nature,  of  her  incarnate  forces,  Pan  and  Demeter,  nymphs 
and  satyrs  ;  but  none  but  a  modern  poet,  conversant  with 
the  haggardness  of  modern  life,  with  his  soul  steeped  in  the 
religion  of  the  unseen,  could  have  produced  those  '  thouglits 
too  deep  for  tears '  such  as  we  find  in  Wordsworth.  The- 
ocritus and  Bion  are  your  Nature  poets  of  external  loveli- 
ness, but  Arnold  and  Wordsworth  sang  deeper  strains,  and 
sought  the  naked  soul  of  Nature,  which  was  but  a  veiled  Isis 
to  the  Greek." 

"Hallo!  what  island  is  that?"  cried  Maurice,  who  had 
been  idly  listening  to  such  fragments  of  this  discourse  as  he 
had  caught.     "  Look  to  your  left." 

In  the  misty  distance  a  great  black  mass  loomed  vague 
and  indistinct  on  the  lee  side  of  the  vessel,  apparently  about 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  163 

seven  miles  off,  though  the  magnifying   vapor   seemed  to 
bring  it  nearer. 

"I  am  not  sure,"  replied  Crispin,  straining  his  eyes;  "we 
are  in  the  middle  of  a  number  of  islets." 
"  The  deuce  !  isn't  that  rather  dangerous  ?  " 
''It  would  be  to  any  one  who  did  not  know  these  waters  ; 
but  Martin  has  been  here  with  me  often  before,  and  knows 
every  rock  in  the  vicinity.  Besides,  we  are  comparatively 
safe,  as  the  engines  are  of  large  horse-power  compared  with 
the  size  of  the  boat." 

Martin  was  the  captain  of  the  yacht,  and  at  present  was 
personally  attending  to  the  wheel,  with  an  anxious  expres- 
sion on  his  weather-beaten  face,  for  it  was  no  light  task  to 
steer  the  boat  safely  through  these  clusters  of  islands,  espe- 
cially when  the  magnifying  properties  of  the  mist  cause 
them  to  appear  in  dangerous  proximity  to  the  ship,  thus  de- 
ceiving the  eye  into  thinking  she  was  entangled  among  hid- 
den reefs.  Luckily  Captain  IMartin  had  a  clear  head,  and, 
being  a  splendid  seaman,  knew  the  capabilities  of  The  Eunice 
thoroughly ;  so  Crispin  felt  quite  content  to  leave  affairs  m 
his  hands,  so  long  as  he  was  at  the  helm. 

"Kamila!"  shouted  Caliphronas,  alluding  to  the  misty 
island. 

"  No,"  shouted  back  Crispin  ;  "  Kamila  too  far  oft.' 
"Kamila!"  cried  the  Greek  for  the  second  time,  where- 
upon Crispin  was  much  impressed  with  his  insistence. 

"Caliphronas  knows  these  seas  thoroughly,"  he  said  to 
Maurice  quietlv  ;  "he  has  sailed  all  over  them  with  his  ras- 
cal friend ;  so  if  this  is  Kamila,  we  must  be  nearer  Melnos 
than  I  thought." 

"  Had  you  not  better  see  Martin  ?  "  suggested  Maurice, 
shaking  himself  like  a  huge  water-dog,  as  a  shower  of  spray 
flew  over  him. 

Crispin  nodded  an  assent,  and  began  to  struggle  towards 
the  wheel,  where  Martin  was  standing.  It  was  rather  diffi- 
cult, owing  to  the  slipperiness  of  the  wet  deck  and  the  toss- 
ing of  the  yacht,  which  one  moment  would  be  poised  on  the 
crest  of  a  wave,  and  the  next  ingulfed  in  a  foam-streaked 
valley  of  green  water,  which  threatened  to  swamp  her. 
However,  by  holding  on  to  anything  he  could  seize,  Crispin 
managed  to  get  close  to  the  captain,  who,  in  his  efforts  to 
keep  the  ship's  head  right,  was  straining  every  muscle  to 
hold  the  wheel,  which  was  almost  torn  out  of  his  grasp  in  a 
retrograde  direction,  every  time  a  wave  smashed  against  her 
helm. 


164  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Kamila ! "  screamed  Crispin  in  Martin's  ear,  as  he  pointed 
to  the  dim  mass. 

Martin  shook  his  head  doubtfully. 

*'  Too  far  south'ard.     We're  nigher  Anapli,  I  reckon." 

"  And  Melnos  ?  " 

"  Straight  ahead.     Who  says  'tis  Kamila  ?  " 

"  Count  Caliphronas  !  " 

"Hum!  he  knows  these  parts  too.  I'll  go  and  have  an- 
other look  at  the  chart." 

"  If  it's  Kamila,  Melnos  is  just  round  the  shoulder." 

"  Can't  believe  we've  got  so  far  out  of  the  course.  Why, 
if"  — 

At  this  moment  a  tremendous  wave  struck  the  yacht  mid- 
ships, making  her  reel  and  strain  under  the  irresistible 
blows  of  the  sea,  and  the  jolly-boat  on  the  port  side  was 
smashed  up  like  matchwood,  the  iron  davits  being  twisted 
out  of  all  shape  in  the  giant  grip  of  the  water.  The  Eunice 
shuddered  under  the  stroke,  paused  almost  imperceptibly, 
then  sprung  forward  like  a  spur-touched  horse,  and  in  an- 
other second  was  out  of  danger,  riding  lightly  on  the  froth- 
ing crest  of  a  huge  wave,  from  whence  she  slid  down 
smoothly  into  the  smaragdine  hollow  beyond. 

"  Boat  gone  ! "  quoth  the  captain,  regaining  his  breath ; 
"bad  loss." 

Crispin  thought  so  too,  but  had  no  time  to  reply,  for  at 
this  moment  the  raucous  voice  of  the  captain  was  heard 
shouting  to  the  second  officer  as  he  passed  by,  — 

"  Send  Gurt  here  !  look  sharp  ! " 

Gurt  was  a  grizzled  old  salt  with  one  eye,  and  an  unlim- 
ited capacity  for  rum,  who,  having  knocked  about  in  these 
latitudes  all  his  sinful  life,  knew  the  Archipelago  like  a 
book.  When  he  arrived,  the  captain  put  him  in  charge  of 
the  wheel,  and  went  off,  not  to  his  cabin  to  look  at  the  chart, 
but  down  to  the  engine-room,  as  he  feared  for  the  safety  of 
the  propeller.  Crispin  followed  him,  and  they  staggered 
like  drunken  men  along  the  streaming  decks  towards  the 
hatch.  Down  the  iron  ladder  leading  to  the  engine-room 
they  scrambled,  holding  on  like  grim  death,  for  the  yacht 
was  now  rolling  at  an  angle  of  twenty-five  degrees,  an  un- 
comfortable motion  which  she  occasionally  varied  by  dip- 
ping her  bows  so  deeply  into  the  water  that  her  stern  was 
sticking  nearly  straight  up  in  the  air ;  in  fact,  to  use  a  nauti- 
cal expression,  she  stood  on  her  head. 

The  screw  beat  the  waves  regularly  enough  when  in  its 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  165 

normal  position,  but  the  moment  the  yacht  lifted,  it  was  out 
of  the  water,  whirling  round  and  round  with  tremendous 
velocity,  coming  down  again  with  a  resonant  smash,  which 
threatened  to  snap  off  short  the  huge  fans  of  the  propeller. 
To  obviate  this  danger,  Martin  spoke  to  the  chief  engineer, 
who,  at  once  recognizing  the  perilous  position,  took  his  station 
beside  the  throttle-valve,  and  immediately  the  yacht  dipped 
her  nose,  shut  off  steam,  so  that,  when  she  plunged  her  stern 
again  into  the  waters,  the  down-stroke  was  not  so  dangerous 
to  the  motionless  blades. 

The  enormous  steel  bars  of  the  cranks,  shining  with  oil  in 
the  dim  lamplight,  arose  and  fell  irregularly,  owing  to  the 
pitching  of  the  vessel,  one  moment  slowing  down  to  half 
speed,  the  next  beating  the  air  as  rapidly  as  the  wings  of  a 
swallow.  Eound  and  round  swept  the  giant  wheels  with 
noiseless  speed,  and  nothing  could  be  heard  but  the  lash  of 
the  waves  thrashing  the  sides  of  the  yacht,  the  intermittent 
throbbing  of  the  machinery,  and  the  sharp  hiss  of  escaping 
steam,  but  the  moment  the  engineer  put  his  hand  to  the 
throttle-valve,  in  an  instant  the  screw,  already  spinning  like 
a  top,  hung  motionless,  until,  with  the  recurring  lurch,  the 
great  pistons  again  began  to  slide  smoothly  in  and  out  of  the 
cylinders.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  absolute  command 
this  one  man  had  over  the  colossal  mass  of  machinery,  which 
worked  or  rested  as  he  let  on  or  shut  off  steam  at  every 
plunge  of  the  ship. 

As  Martin  and  the  poet  returned  to  the  deck,  they  heard 
the  smashing  of  dishes  in  the  pantry,  the  subsequent  bad 
language  of  the  stewards,  and  The  Eunice  groaned,  creaked, 
strained,  and  shrieked  like  a  living  being  as  she  strove  to 
make  headway  against  the  furious  blast. 

"  All  right !  "  yelled  Crispin  when  they  were  once  more 
on  the  streaming  decks. 

"  Right  enough,  as  long  as  we're  in  the  open  sea,"  retorted 
Martin  gloomily,  "  but  Lord  help  us  if  we  touch  any  of  them 
darned  reefs." 

The  islands  of  the  ^gean  are  very  dangerous  to  ships,  as 
their  ragged  reefs,  running  out  to  sea  like  roots,  can  scarcely 
be  noticed  save  in  calm  weather,  when  the  thin  line  of  white 
breaking  on  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water  betrays  the  hid- 
den teeth  below.  It  was  of  these  treacherous  reefs  the  cap- 
tain was  afraid,  as  in  such  a  furious  gale  there  was  every 
chance  of  the  ship  striking,  in  spite  of  the  utmost  care  being 
taken  to  navigate  her  properly.     Fortunately,  with  her  helm 


166  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

and  screw,  which  were  to  her  as  a  bridle  is  to  a  horse,  The 
Eunice  could  skirt  these  perils  with  the  greatest  dexterity, 
and  the  real  danger  lay  in  the  chance  of  her  running  on  some 
sunken  rock  not  set  down  in  the  chart.  Martin,  doubtful  as 
to  the  island  on  the  lee  side,  went  off  to  his  cabin  for  the 
chart,  knowing  he  could  safely  leave  the  steering  to  Gurt, 
who  indeed  was  better  than  any  chart,  and  knew  more  of 
these  seas  than  all  the  Admiralty  put  together. 

Crispin  returned  to  Maurice,  and  reported  all  that  had 
been  done,  much  to  Koylands'  satisfaction,  for,  however 
brave  a  man  may  be,  it  is  not  pleasant  to  think  that  every 
moment  he  may  be  hurled  into  eternity.  Caliphronas  was 
still  clinging  to  the  weather  rigging,  but  his  face  was  graver 
than  of  yore,  for  he  too  knew  the  dangers  of  these  waters, 
and  good  ship  though  The  Eunice  was,  an  unknown  rock 
piercing  her  bottom  would  sink  her  rapidly,  while  the  furi- 
ous waves  dashing  against  her,  thus  firmly  held,  would  not 
leave  enough  of  her  stout  timbers  to  make  a  cigar-box. 

All  that  afternoon  they  continued  beating  about  in  that 
weary  sea  near  the  Island  of  Kamila,  for  Kamila  it  proved 
to  be  on  examination  of  the  chart,  much  to  the  vexation  of 
Captain  Martin,  who  was  considerably  startled  to  find  he  was 
out  of  his  course.  However,  such  ignorance  was  not  unpar- 
donable, as  the  divergence  from  the  course  arose  from  the  fact 
that,  owing  to  the  captain  being  constantly  at  the  wheel, 
and  only  hastily  glancing  at  the  chart  when  he  was  able,  he 
did  not  notice  sufficiently  the  constant  sagging  of  the  ves- 
sel, and  she  had  therefore,  unknown  to  him,  drifted  more  to 
the  south  than  he  fancied. 

Contrary  to  his  expectation,  the  gale,  instead  of  abating, 
increased  in  fury,  and  great  masses  of  blinding  rain  came 
sweeping  down  in  torrents  on  the  sliip,  while  the  gusty  wind, 
straining  the  wet  sails  to  their  utmost  tension,  tautened  the 
weather  rigging  like  bars  of  steel.  The  crew  were  all  picked 
men,  forty  in  number,  the  captain  was  a  first-class  sailor,  the 
engines  powerful,  the  boat  stanch,  yet  all  these  could  avail 
but  little  against  the  colossal  force  of  wind  and  wave,  which 
seemed  resolved  to  conquer  this  brave  little  craft  struggling 
so  gallantly  against  their  Titanic  forces. 

Meals  that  day  they  had  none,  for  it  was  impossible  to  sit 
at  the  table,  but  the  steward  cut  some  sandwiches,  with 
which,  in  conjunction  with  brandy  and  water,  they  were 
able  to  sustain  themselves.  Even  Caliphronas,  quite  con- 
trary to  his  usual  custom,  was  so  overwhelmed  by  the  peril 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  167 

of  their  position,  that  he  took  some  spirits,  which  brought 
the  color  back  to  his  pale  cheeks.  Maurice  was  not  at  all 
afraid,  having  plenty  of  British  pluck,  and,  but  for  Helena, 
would  have  cared  but  little  if  his  unhappy  life  was  ended  by 
the  seething  mass  of  waters  raging  on  all  sides. 

Owing  to  the  cloudy  sky,  the  incessant  rain,  and  the 
absence  of  sunlight,  the  darkness  fell  sooner  than  usual,  with 
sudden  transition  from  day  to  night.  No  more  the  en- 
chanted twilight  of  the  previous  evening,  the  calm  sea,  sil- 
ver moon,  and  glittering  stars ;  nothing  but  pitchy  gloom, 
with  roaring  waves  rising  in  liquid  masses  to  the  black  sky, 
and  black  sky  raining  down  torrents  on  roaring  waves,  while 
between  the  welkin  and  the  spume  flew  The  Eunice  like  a 
stormy  petrel,  keeping  afloat  only  through  the  dexterity  with 
which  she  was  managed.  At  times  a  jagged  flash  of  light- 
ning gleaming  blue  as  steel  divided  the  solid  blackness  with 
sabre-like  stroke,  but  the  succeeding  thunder,  loud  as  it  was, 
hardly  added  to  the  deafening  clamor  of  the  storm,  which 
stunned  the  ears  of  those  human  beings,  fighting  so  deter- 
minedly for  their  lives  against  the  appalling  forces  of  Na- 
ture. 

'^  'Now  would  I  give  a  thousand  furlongs  of  sea  for  an  acre 
of  barren  ground,' ''  quoted  Crispin  grimly,  as  he  clung  to  a 
stout  rope.  "My  faith,  I  don't  think  we  are  born  to  be 
hanged,  Maurice ! " 

'•'  Do  you  think  there  is  danger,  Creespeen  ?  ''  cried  Cali- 
phronas,  whose  teeth  were  chattering  in  his  head. 

"  Rather ;  we  might  go  to  the  bottom  any  moment,"  replied 
Maurice,  who,  despite  the  peril  of  the  position,  could  not 
help  smiling  at  the  cowardice  of  the  Greek.  "  Be  a  man, 
Caliphronas!  —you  aren't  afraid  of  death,  I  suppose?'^ 

"Oh,  but  I  am!  —  I  am!"  shivered  the  Count  in  abject 
fear.  "To  leave  this  world  I  love  for  I  know  not  what. 
Oh,  what  comes  after  ?  " 

'•  God  !  "  said  Crispin  solemnly. 

"  God  ! "  echoed  the  Greek  in  a  tone  of  despairing  convic- 
tion. "  What  is  God  ?  I  know  nothing  beyond  this  world  — 
what  I  see  !  —  what  I  feel  !  —  nothing  else.  But  you  say 
there  is  a  God  !  —  there  is  a  God  !  Oh,  what  will  He  say  to 
me  ?  " 

'^  Ask  your  own  conscience." 

"  Conscience  !  "  cried  Caliphronas,  with  a  sneer,  which  but 
ill  became  his  ghastly  face  ;  "  what  do  I  know  of  conscience  ? 
I  have  been  wicked,  but  no  worse  than  my  neighbors.     After 


168  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

all,  it  is  death  and  then  —  annihilation.  It  is  that  I  fear  — 
to  no  longer  see  the  sun,  nor  feel  the  wind,  nor  life  in  the 
veins.  Life  is  so  glad,  death  so  terrible !  But  I  will  undo 
some  of  my  work  that  you  saints  call  wicked.  Yes,  I  will 
tell  you,  Mr.  Maurice,  the  reason  I  brought  you  to  Melnos." 

"  Oh,  tell  me,  tell  me  ! "  cried  Maurice  eagerly ;  "  jo\x 
brought  me  here  to  "  — 

He  did  not  finish  the  sentence,  for  at  this  moment  a  gust 
of  unexampled  strength  tore  past  them  with  a  shriek,  and 
snapped  the  mainmast  by  the  board,  crashing  it  downward 
with  tremendous  force.  Falling  over  the  side,  it  impeded 
the  yacht's  course,  and  brought  her  gunwale  dangerously 
near  the  water.  The  black  smoke  poured  in  volumes  from 
her  funnel,  the  screw  beat  the  water  with  enormous  power, 
but  the  heavy  mass,  the  huge  canvas,  the  entanglement  of 
ropes,  all  held  her  back,  and  down  on  one  side,  to  the  great 
imperilling  of  her  safety. 

"  Axes  ! "  roared  Martin,  in  a  voice  of  thunder ;  "  cut  away 
the  ropes  !  Look  smart,  my  lads,  for  your  lives !  If  she 
pitches  to  wind'ard,  and  brings  the  mast  against  the  bilge, 
it's  all  Davy  Jones  for  sure  I " 

The  sailors  flew  to  do  his  bidding,  and  though,  owing  to 
the  perpetual  pitching  of  the  vessel,  they  could  not  work 
continuously,  yet  in  the  space  of  half  an  hour  they  managed 
to  clear  away  the  wreckage,  which  fell  over  into  the  boiling 
waters,  while  the  yacht  righted  herself  like  a  trembling  deer. 
The  man  at  the  wheel  of  course  kept  the  set  course  indicated 
by  the  captain,  but,  the  engines  being  slowed  down  during 
the  clearance  episode,  the  ship  sagged  gradually  to  leeward, 
until  she  drifted  dangerousl}'  near  to  the  rocks  of  Kamila. 

All  were  so  busily  engaged  clearing  away  the  wreckage, 
that  this  new  peril  was  unnoticed,  until  the  moon,  half-ob- 
scured by  the  flying  scud,  shone  out  palely  on  the  wild  scene. 
Attracted  by  the  glimmer  of  the  planet,  Martin  looked  up 
suddenly  from  his  work,  only  to  see  the  towering  cliffs  of 
the  island  near  at  hand,  and  the  caps  of  the  sea  rising  like 
fountains  of  spouting  foam  over  the  cruel-looking  rocks. 

Roaring  to  pass  the  word  to  the  engineer  to  give  her  every 
inch  of  steam  she  was  worth,  in  order  to  shoot  her  far  enough 
ahead  to  clear  the  rocks,  Martin  sprang  with  one  bound  to 
the  wheel,  wrenched  it  out  of  the  sailor's  hands,  and  put  the 
helm  hard  down,  so  that  the  yacht's  head  flew  up  in  the  wind 
just  in  time  to  avert  a  frightful  catastrophe.  Immediately  on 
the  increased  speed  of  the  vessel,  she  plunged  forward  into 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  169 

every  wave,  and  all  on  board  feared  that  each  new  dive  into 
the  rough  sea  would  be  the  last,  for  she  shipped  seas  freely  and 
tons  of  water  swept  her  deck  fore  and  aft  At  the  last  fear 
ful  dive,  there  was  the  sound  of  a  sudden  snap,  as  if  the  boat 
had  touched  a  rook  ;  she  shuddered  through  her  whole  len'th 
and  after  the  engines  had  whirled  for  a  minute  with  inconl 
ceivable  velocity,  they  suddenly  stopped 

J'J^l  ?^°^  ■  "  °'^f  ¥'''■""'  g'^^ssing  the  reason  of  the  stop- 
page ;     the  propeller  has  gone  !     God  help  us  now  ' " 

her  tnT.*"'^'  f''  ^^P'  *«  '^'^  '^"  "'™"Sh  *1^«  ^™ter  shot 
her  to  the  windward  sufficiently  to  clear  the  Kamila  reef 
but  as  she  could  not  be  kept  ahead  to  sea,  owing  to  the  fur^ 
of  the  gale,  she  had  again  to  be  kept  off,  so  that  the  remain- 
ing sails  would  tend  to  steady  her  Lm  the  violent  lurching 
AH  this  tune  the  steam  was  blowing  off;  and  then,  the  fires 
being  drawn   all  the  sooty  inhabitants  of  the  engine-room 

n  It   "fv.^  ^^'"'T''  P^^'''^''  °"  '^^''^'  *°  d°  ^»^at  they  couTd 
m  saving  the  vessel.  *^  wuiu. 

wifh"^™"^  ^\^  time  she  was  clearing  the  reef,  the  moon  had 
withdrawn  her  light,  but  now  she  shone  forth  in  her  full 
splendor  through  a  rent  in  a  cloud,  whereupon  a  si^t  was 

"MeS  J,  P^  ''Tn  '^"""^  '"'"  '^^  1^^^^'^  of  all  on  board 

Melnos  !  "  cried  Crispin  and  the  Greek  in  one  breath. 

Its  all   over!"   said   Martin   gloomily.     "  Ko  screw  — 

only  one  mast- we'll  never  clear  that  island  "  ^«'^«^- 

Mauriee,  straining  his  eyes  through  the  glimmer  of  moon 

and  star  half-obscured  by  flying  clouds,  saw  a  hith  coi^cal 

shaped  mountain,  r  sing  sheer  out  of  the  sea,  at  a'dis  ance 

of  about  three  miles.     The  snows  of  the  summit  "earned 

pale  in  the  moonlight,  below  was  darkness,  but  at  theTase 

of  the  peak  spouted  fountains  of  white  surf  on  the  Lged 

rocks  running  seaward.  J'^ogea 

'/  It's  kingdom  come,  gentlemen/'  said  the  cantain   wifh  a 
fu^lyt  tCvltirSt^^  --  sky-piercingTaTlori^^g^ 

fiv;  Hves'"' "''  °"ly  t'^^  gig  and  the  lif'eboaf  to  save  forty 

CrisS'Juick^-.*'    ''""•''^  ''''   '°^*^'   ^'  -"   --'='"  -i<i 
"Oh   yes!  all   that   can   be   done   will  be  done    you  can 
depend,  sir;  but  it's  a  poor  look-out."  '  ^ 


170  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

With  these  dispiriting  words,  the  captain  went  away  to 
see  after  the  life-belts,  and  served  out  one  to  each  man, 
which  gave  them  at  least  some  chance  of  floating  to  land. 
Martin  neglected  no  chance  of  saving  the  ship,  and  put  the 
helm  up,  whereon  the  fierce  wind  filled  the  remaining  canvas, 
and  drove  The  Eunice  slowly  ahead.  For  fully  an  hour  she 
drifted  to  leeward,  now  being  quite  unmanageable,  owing  to 
the  loss  of  screw  and  mast.  Straight  ahead  lay  Melnos, 
with  the  fierce  surf  thundering  at  its  base,  and  the  ship, 
unable  to  be  guided,  was  drifting  slowly  but  surely  on  to  the 
rocks.  Maurice,  with  considerable  forethought,  took  Crispin 
with  him  below,  and  they  filled  their  travelling-flasks  with 
brandy.  Meanwhile,  the  crew,  utterly  demoralized  by  the 
hopelessness  of  the  situation,  made  for  the  spirit-room  ;  but 
the  captain  placed  himself  in  front  of  it  with  a  revolver,  and 
swore  to  shoot  the  first  man  who  came  forward.  Still,  as  the 
men  were  weary  from  work,  and  wet  and  cold  with  long 
exposure,  he  ordered  rum  to  be  served  out,  which  reconciled 
them  somewhat  to  his  prohibition  of  too  much  drinking. 

"Die  like  men,  not  beasts,"  said  Martin,  thrusting  the 
revolver  back  again  when  the  crew  were  more  manageable  ; 
*'  there  is  still  a  chance  of  saving  our  lives  by  the  boats,  and 
that  will  be  gone  if  drink  is  in  you." 

By  this  time  the  yacht  was  so  near  the  island  that  they 
could  hear  the  roar  of  the  surf,  and  see  the  white  tongues  of 
the  waves  running  up  the  black  rocks.  Overhead  heavy 
masses  of  clouds  were  moving  like  battalions  across  the  sky, 
but  the  rain  had  ceased,  and  at  intervals  the  moon  shone  out, 
which  gave  them  but  small  comfort,  as  it  enabled  them  to 
see  only  too  clearly  the  perils  which  awaited  them.  The 
wind  was  still  furious,  and  the  sea  rolling  mountains  high ; 
its  huge  billows,  topped  with  ragged  fringes  of  foam  glimmer- 
ing in  the  fitful  light,  kept  sweeping  over  the  deck.  Several 
men  were  swept  overboard  into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  but  no 
assistance  could  be  rendered  by  those  on  board,  and  with 
despairing  cries  they  sank  in  the  furious  waters. 

Crispin,  pitying  the  terror  of  Caliphronas,  in  spite  of  his 
dislike  for  the  wily  Greek,  took  him  below  and  gave  him 
some  brandy.  The  Count  was  just  raising  the  glass  to  his 
lips,  when  they  were  both  levelled  by  a  tremendous  shock, 
which  made  the  ship  tremble  from  stem  to  stern. 

"  God  !  she  has  struck  ! "  cried  Crispin,  and  tore  up  the 
stairs  as  hard  as  he  was  able,  followed  by  Caliphronas,  who 
was  now  nerved  by  despair. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  171 

The  Eunice  had  struck  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  but  so  fierce  were  the  -waves  between  her  and  the  land, 
that  it  seemed  as  though  no  boat  could  live  in  that  hell  of 
waters.  However,  as  a  last  hope,  the  captain  ordered  the 
lifeboat  to  be  lowered,  which  was  accordingly  done  ;  but  the 
moment  it  touched  the  water  all  discipline  was  at  an  end, 
for  the  men,  seeing  the  means  of  safety,  rushed  in  a  tumul- 
tuous crowd  to  take  advantage  of  it.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
lifebo'at  was  tilled  with  a  black  mass  of  human  beings,  in 
spite  of  the  captain's  efforts  to  maintain  order,  and  cutting 
the  ropes  they  made  for  the  shore.  Hardly  had  the  boat 
left  the  ship,  when,  caught  by  a  huge  wave,  she  capsized, 
and  the  waves  were  black  with  shrieking  masses  of  humanity. 

"  O  God  !  0  God ! "  groaned  Crispin,  hiding  his  face  ; 
"they  will  all  be  drowned." 

And  so  they  were,  for,  in  spite  of  their  life-belts,  the  waves 
griped  the  drowning  men  with  irresistible  force,  and  dashed 
them  mangled  corpses  against  the  rocks.  Of  the  crowd  of 
living,  breathing  creatures  that  had  gone  off  a  few  minutes 
before,  not  one  remained  alive,  and  the  survivors  felt  that 
their  fate  would  be  the  same. 

'<  Lower  away  the  gig ! "  shouted  Martin,  going  up  to 
where  the  boa.t  was  hanging ;  "  and  if  you  cowards  rush  her, 
I'll  shoot  freely." 

Cowed  by  his  revolver,  which  was  covering  them  with  its 
six  deadly  cartridges,  the  men  did  as  they  were  ordered, 
and,  placing  the  boat  in  charge  of  the  mate,  the  captain 
made  them  all  get  in  in  orderly  fashion. 

''Now,  gentlemen,"  said  Martin  to  tlie  three  who  stood 
near  him,  "get  in  quick  —  the  yacht  will  soon  be  under 
water." 

"  But  yourself  ?  " 

"It's  my  duty  to  stick  to  the  ship,"  said  the  brave  old 
man ;  "  if  she  goes  down,  I  go  down  —  if  she  doesn't,  there 
will  be  hope  of  safety ;  but  I  will  be  the  last  to  leave  her." 

"There's  room  in  the  boat,"  called  the  mate  ;  "quick,  for 
your  lives." 

Caliphronas  needed  no  urging,  but  sprang  into  the  boat, 
then,  either  from  treachery  or  terror,  cut  the  rope  which 
held  her  to  the  yacht  with  a  knife  he  had  in  his  hand. 
There  was  a  shout  of  execration  from  the  crew,  but  the  act 
was  irremediable,  and  the  gig  plunged  away  into  the  dark- 
ness ;  the  last  seen  by  the  four  survivors  on  deck  being 
Caliphronas,  furiously  fighting  with  two  of  the  men,  who 
were  trying  to  hurl  him  overboard. 


172  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

The  yacht  was  now  nearly  under  water,  and  on  her  deck 
stood  Martin,  Maurice,  Crispin,  and  Gurt. 

"  Only  one  hope,"  cried  Martin,  furiously  shaking  his  fist 
at  the  retreating  boat ;  "  climb  up  the  mast ! " 

They  flew  to  the  weather  rigging,  and  Maurice,  Crispin, 
and  Gurt  managed  to  climb  up,  but  just  as  Martin  was 
springing  for  the  rope,  a  heavy  sea  swept  the  yacht  fore  and 
aft,  and  he  was  carried  overboard.  They  heard  his  despair- 
ing cry  as  he  went  down  into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  but 
there  was  no  time  to  say  anything,  for  with  one  final  plunge 
the  yacht  went  down,  and  the  three  human  beings  scrambled 
up  the  rigging  as  fast  as  they  could,  followed  by  the  water, 
which  seemed  loath  to  surrender  its  prey.  Fortunately  The 
Eunice  had  sunk  near  the  shore,  so,  when  she  finally  settled 
down,  about  thirty  feet  of  the  remaining  mast  was  sticking 
up  out  of  the  water,  and  to  this  clung  the  three  survivors  in 
desperate  anxiety,  expecting  every  moment  to  be  shaken  off 
into  the  depths  below.  At  any  moment  the  mast  might 
break  off,  or  a  roll  of  the  submerged  yacht  send  it  into  the 
water  ;  so,  with  this  terrible  dread  in  their  hearts,  these 
three  human  beings  clung  madly  to  their  only  refuge. 

Below  raged  the  fierce  waters,  around  was  the  darkness, 
above  the  clouded  sky  and  the  veiled  moon,  while  amid  all 
this  horror  hung  those  three  unfortunates  to  their  slender 
ipar,  waiting  with  dread  and  hope  for  the  morning's  light. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MELNOS. 

Magic  isles  of  beauty  glowing 

Far  in  tideless  sapphire  seas ; 
Wanton  winds,  low  breathing,  blowing 

Perfumes  from  balsamic  trees. 

Here  no  wintry  waters  freeze ; 
But  the  streamlets  ever  flowing, 

Murmur  drow.sy  lullabies, 
Which  the  eyelids  close  unknowing. 

Till  the  soul  in  slumber  lies. 

Peaceful  under  peaceful  skies. 

Nature  is  fond  of  contrasts,  and  delights  in  the  unex- 
pected ;  therefore,  after  the  gloom  and  tumult  of  the  pre- 
yious  night,  the  morning  showed  the  three  castaways  a  scene 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  173 

of  peaceful  beauty  so  enchanting,  that  they  thought  they 
were  in  fairyland.  The  sea  had  gone  down  after  midnight, 
and  only  a  heavy  ground-swell  remained  to  tell  of  the  fury 
of  the  storm  which  had  wrecked  The  Eunice.  All  around 
lay  an  expanse  of  sapphire  sea,  touched  here  and  there  with 
white  foam,  which  turned  to  crimson  as  the  morn  dawned 
redly  in  the  gray  eastern  skies.  Far  into  the  cloudless  blue 
arose  the  giant  peak  of  Melnos,  its  lofty  summit  swathed  in 
snows  already  bathed  in  the  heavy  yellow  beams  of  the  ris- 
ing sun.  Below  its  white  cap  appeared  a  green  mantle  of 
foliage,  which  quite  hid  the  bare  rock  with  a  profusion  of 
myrtles,  plane-trees,  arbutus,  ilex,  and  branching  heather ; 
and  lower  still  the  red  tint  of  rugged  cliffs,  the  black 
chaotic  bowlders  of  the  beach  scattered  in  huge*  masses,  and 
in  and  out  of  these  the  white  threads  of  the  surf  like  fairy 
lacework.  Far  away  to  the  north  arose  the  Island  of  Kamila, 
faint  and  cloud-like  in  the  midst  of  the  blue  seas,  and  on  the 
murmuring  waters  played  gentle  breezes,  breathing  fragrant 
balms  robbed  from  aromatic  trees.  It  was  a  scene  of  unex- 
ampled beauty,  and  even  the  three  unfortunates  clinging  to 
the  mast  could  not  withhold  their  admiration,  in  spite  of  the 
discomforts  from  which  they  were  suffering. 

"  Once  we  are  on  shore,"  said  Crispin,  with  confidence, 
"  I  will  take  you  into  the  interior  of  the  island,  where  we 
will  be  well  looked  after  by  Justinian." 

"  Has  the  island  an  interior  ?  "  asked  Maurice  sceptically, 
for  he  saw  nothing  but  a  huge  mountain  resting  on  the  azure 
sea. 

"  Of  course  !  Did  I  not  tell  you  it  was  the  Island  of 
Fantasy,  and  therefore  full  of  wonders  ?  But  the  first  thing 
is  to  get  to  land.     What  do  you  say,  Gurt  ?  " 

"  Swim,  sir." 

"  I  feel  too  stiff,"  said  Crispin,  shaking  his  head.  ^''  I 
could  not  swim  a  yard  —  and  you,  Maurice  ?  " 

"  I  am  in  the  same  plight,"  replied  Koylands,  whose  joints 
were  aching  with  the  exposure  to  the  night.  "  If  it's  a  ques- 
tion of  swimming,  I  will  have  to  remain  here  till  doomsday." 

"I  kin  swim,  gentlemen,"  said  Gurt  stoutly.  "Bless  ye, 
this  ain't  nothin',  this  ain't.  Why,  I've  bin  wrecked  in  the 
nor'ard,  and  precious  cold  it  were.  I  kin  get  ashore  all  safe, 
but  I  dunno  'bout  you,  sirs." 

Gurt's  face  assumed  the  rapt  expression  of  one  who  was 
thinking  out  a  deep  problem,  and  Maurice,  knowing  the 
inventiveness  of  sailors,  did  not  interrupt  him,  having  every 


174  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

confidence  that  this  mariner  would  hit  upon  some  plan  of 
extricating  them  from  this  dilemma. 

"There  are  plenty  of  ropes,"  suggested  Crispin  hopefully, 
"  and  if"  — 

"  Right  y'are,  sir,"  said  Gurt  energetically,  his  one  eye 
flashing  with  satisfaction.  "  I'll  tie  'em  together  and  swim 
ashore.  Fust  I'll  tie  the  rope  t'  th'  mast  an'  then  t'  th' 
beach,  an'  you  two  kin  skip  along  like  monkeys.     D'ye  see, 


sirs 


9  J? 


No  sooner  was  the  plan  thought  of  than  the  energetic  Gurt 
proceeded  to  put  it  into  practice,  and  spliced  all  the  ropes 
he  could  get  hold  of,  being  armed  with  that  useful  implement, 
a  jack-knife,  which  no  sailor  is  ever  without. 

"It's  'bout  quart'r  mile  fro'  shore,"  said  Gurt,  fastening 
one  end  of  the  rope  to  the  mast  and  the  other  round  his  waist ; 
"  but  if  rope  ain't  long  'nough,  you  gents  tie  on  more,  an' 
pay  out.     Here's  knife." 

Crispin  took  the  knife,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  such  emer- 
gency, and  then  gave  Gurt  his  spirit-flask,  from  which  the 
mariner  drew  new  life,  although  he  was  pleased  to  regret 
that  the  contents  were  not  rum,  instead  of  brandy.  Having 
thus  revivified  himself,  Gurt,  with  the  rope  round  his  waist, 
scrambled  down  into  the  calm  water,  and  was  soon  striking 
out  boldly  for  the  shore.  Maurice  and  the  poet  watched  his 
black  head  bobbing  up  and  down  in  the  blue,  and  kept  pay- 
ing out  the  rope  carefully,  lest  any  entanglement  should 
hamper  the  swimmer. 

"  Thank  Heaven,  he's  all  right !  "  cried  Crispin  in  a  tone 
of  relief,  as  they  saw  the  white  figure  of  the  sailor  clamber- 
ing over  the  black  rocks.     "  Now  it's  our  turn." 

In  order  to  swim  freely,  Gurt  had  stripped  naked,  so  the 
two  left  on  the  mast  had  to  carry  his  clothes  to  shore,  a  thing 
easy  enough,  as  all  Gurt  wore  was  a  shirt  and  a  pair  of  blue 
serge  trousers.  Crispin  took  one  article,  Maurice  the  other, 
and  waited  for  Gurt  to  signal  from  the  shore  that  the  rope 
was  made  fast.  Soon  they  saw  him  waving  his  hand  and 
shouting  to  intimate  all  was  right ;  whereupon  they  exam- 
ined the  knot  of  the  rope  to  see  that  it  was  fast  to  the  mast, 
and  then  slid  down  into  the  sea. 

The  rope  was  pretty  well  taut,  as  it  ran  from  the  mast  to 
the  shore,  so  Crispin  and  Maurice,  holding  on  to  it,  struggled 
along  towards  the  land.  Their  limbs  ached  with  pain,  owing 
to  their  long  exposure  to  the  night-air,  but  a  drink  of  spirits 
each  put  new  vigor  into  their  wearied  frames,  and,  after  a 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  175 

toilsome  journey,  aided  by  the  rope,  they  managed  to  reach 
the  beach,  up  which  they  scrambled  with  thankful  hearts. 

"  All  right,  sirs  ?  "  asked  Gurt,  dressing  himself  rapidly. 

"  Stiff,"  replied  Crispin  ruefully.  "  I  feel  as  creaky  as  an 
old  door ! " 

"  Ain't  used  t'  it,"  grinned  Gurt,  shifting  his  quid  ;  for, 
during  all  the  trouble  and  danger,  he  had  retained  that  as 
his  only  solace.  "  Well,  I  guess,  sirs,  we'd  best  take  more 
rum,  an'  then  explore  this  here  island." 

''  Oh,  I  know  all  about  it,"  said  Crispin  cheerfully.  "  But 
see,  the  sun  is  up,  so,  as  it  is  no  use  trudging  about  in  wet 
clothes,  we  had  better  dry  them." 

The  two  gentlemen  stripped  at  once,  and  spread  their 
clothing  out  to  dry  on  the  black  rocks ;  but  Gurt,  disdaining 
such  luxury,  perched  himself  in  a  sunny  place,  and  watched 
them  swimming  in  the  shallow  waters  near  shore  to  refresh 
their  weary  limbs.  The  sun  was  now  considerably  above  the 
horizon,  burning  hotly  in  a  cloudless  blue  sky,  and  the  sultry 
rays  soon  dried  the  clothes  spread  out  on  the  rocks,  so  in  a 
short  time  they  were  soon  dressed  again,  and  ready  to  start 
out  in  search  of  Justinian. 

True,  they  were  very  hungry,  but  Crispin  had  some  bis- 
cuits in  his  pocket,  which  appeased  their  appetites  in  some 
measure,  and,  after  a  good  drink  of  brandy  each,  they  began 
to  trudge  along  the  stony  beach,  guided  by  the  poet,  to  whom 
every  inch  of  the  island  was  as  familiar  as  his  own  face. 
The  reddish  cliffs  and  white  sand  of  the  beach,  catching  the 
hot  sunlight,  threw  out  intense  heat,  and,  from  being  cold, 
the  three  adventurers  soon  became  uncomfortably  warm. 

"  Do  you  think  Caliphronas  is  safe  ?  "  asked  Maurice  hesi- 
tatingly, as  they  walked  along. 

"  Caliphronas  has  nine  lives,  like  a  cat,"  retorted  Crispin 
savagely ;  "  but,  after  his  treachery  of  last  night,  I  hope  he 
will  meet  the  doom  he  deserves.  If  it  had  not  been  for  his 
cutting  that  rope,  Martin  would  have  been  alive  now." 

"That  is,  if  the  gig  reached  shore  safely." 

"  Of  course  !  The  sea  was  wild,  and  she  might  have  been 
swamped,  like  the  lifeboat ;  still,  we  must  hope  for  the  best." 

"  I  seed  Bulk  a-chuckin'  of  that  'ere  gent  inter  the  water," 
said  Gurt,  addressing  the  air  with  elaborate  indifference. 

"I  hope  Bulk  succeeded,"  replied  Crispin  grimly;  "but 
what's  that  ?  " 

A  dark  object  was  lying  on  the  white  beach,  and,  as  they 
raced  up  to  it,  Crispin  gave  a  cry  of  anguish. 


176  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"Why,  it's  poor  Stokins!"  he  said,  recognizing  the  fea- 
tures of  the  mate.  "  He  was  in  charge  of  the  boat.  I'm 
afraid  she  was  smashed  up  like  the  other." 

•'  And  'ere's  Jimson  and  Bildge,"  cried  Gurt,  from  a  dis- 
tance, where  he  had  discovered  two  corpses.  "  They've  all 
gone  t'  kingdom  come,  gents  !  " 

"  Caliphronas  also,  I  suppose ! "  said  Maurice  sadly  ;  for, 
in  spite  of  his  dislike  to  the  wily  Greek,  it  seemed  terrible 
that  his  joyous  j^outh  should  be  ended  so  suddenly  by  the 
cruel  sea. 

''  It  looks  as  if  we  were  the  only  survivors,"  remarked 
Crispin  moodily,  as  they  resumed  their  journey.  "  We  must 
have  those  poor  fellows  buried.     I  will  speak  to  Justinian." 

"  Where  is  Justinian  ?  "  asked  Maurice  a  little  irritably. 
"  Does  he  live  on  this  arid  peak  ?  " 

"Yes;  but  do  not  judge  by  external  appearances.  This 
rocky  mountain,  so  sparsely  clothed  with  trees,  is  only  the 
uninviting  shell  of  a  very  line  kernel." 

'•  You  speak  in  riddles." 

"  I  seem  to  have  been  doing  that  ever  since  I  knew  you, 
judging  from  your  frequent  mention  of  the  fact.  However, 
w^e  will  soon  come  to  the  tunnel,  and  then  you  will  see." 

"What  tunnel?" 

"  Oh,  a  wonderful  piece  of  engineering  skill  carried  out 
by  Justinian  thirty  years  ago.  —  a  tunnel  which  pierces  the 
side  of  this  mountain,  and  will  admit  us  into  its  interior." 

"  Where  we  will  find  — what  ?  " 

"The  patriarchal  community  of  which  Justinian  is  king!" 

"  What !  does  he  rule  over  Troglodytes,  like  a  Norwegian 
gnome  ?  " 

"  Gnomes  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  south,"  said  Crispin 
provokingly.  "  I  tell  you  this  is  the  Island  of  Fantasy  — 
the  only  fairyland  yet  remaining  on  earth.  You  anticipate 
the  realms  of  Pluto,  but  you  will  find  Arcadia." 

"I'm  hanged  if  I  understand  you  !  " 

"  Well,  your  curiosity  will  soon  be  satisfied.  En  avant, 
messieurs,  for  I  am  hungry,  and  wish  to  be  seated  at  the 
hospitable  board  of  Justinian." 

High  above,  over  the  terra-cotta-colored  cliffs,  hung  the 
fresh  green  foliage  which  clothed  the  slopes  of  the  mountain 
high  up  to  the  verge  of  the  eternal  snows ;  —  tall,  dark 
cypresses,  funereal-looking  even  in  the  bright  sunshine,  the 
silver-gray  glimmer  of  olive  trees,  chestnuts,  beeches,  plane- 
trees,  and,  nearest  to  the  summit,  gloomy  pines  accentuating 


THE  ISLAND   OP  FANTASY,  177 

the  whiteness  of  the  snows,  which,  clinging  to  the  rocky- 
peak,  stood  out  in  cold  relief  against  the  warm  blue  sky. 
Ahead  of  them  was  a  reddish  promontory  running  out  into 
the  calm  waters,  the  trees  fringing  its  crest  like  the  mane  of 
some  wild  animal.  Turning  round  the  shoulder  of  this,  they 
saw  in  the  distance  a  similar  promontory,  and  between  these 
two  headlands  a  range  of  reddish  cliffs  topped  by  vegetation, 
a  white  sandy  beach  scattered  over  with  bowlders,  and  a  huge 
arch  in  the  middle  of  the  cliff,  which  apparently  led  into 
the  bowels  of  the  mountain. 

'•  Here  we  are  at  the  palace  gate,"  said  Crispin  gayly,  as  he 
led  the  way  towards  the  subterranean  entrance.  "We  will 
soon  be  in  safety." 

Standing  in  front  of  this  mighty  arch,  they  saw  a  broad 
flight  of  steps  leading  up  into  the  darkness,  so  that  it  looked 
like  the  entrance  into  the  hall  of  Eblis.  Outside,  the  bril- 
liant sunshine,  the  many-colored  land,  the  sparkling  sea ; 
but  within,  darkness,  dank  and  unwholesome,  which  inspired 
the  two  strangers  with  anything  but  hope.  Crispin,  however, 
knowing  the  place  well,  sprang  lightly  up  the  steps,  followed 
hesitatingly  by  his  companions,  but  suddenly  he  stopped  and 
held  up  his  finger,  the  action  being  visible  in  the  bright  light 
pouring  in  through  the  arch  into  this  artificial  cave. 

"  Listen  !     Maurice,  do  you  recognize  that  voice  ?  " 

It  was  a  man  singing,  and  his  clear  high  tones  echoed  in 
the  dark  vault  overhead,  coming  nearer  and  nearer  as  the 
vocalist  slowly  descended  the  steps. 

"  Blow,  wind,  and  swell  the  sail, 
So  that  my  boat  may  fly  —  may  fly 
As  a  swallow  to  its  nest  across  the  foam. 
I  am  a  swallow,  and  so  am  flying 
To  that  dear  nest  of  love,  which  is  her  heart. 
Blow,  wind  !  for  I  am  filled  with  longing. 
Her  heart  is  empty  till  me  she  kisses." 

"  Caliphronas  !  "  cried  Maurice  and  Crispin  in  one  breath. 

It  was  indeed  Caliphronas  who  came  slowly  down  the  steps 
and  paused  in  alarm  just  where  the  light  began  to  mingle 
with  the  darkness  ;  —  a  new  and  brilliant  Caliphronas,  ar- 
rayed in  all  the  bravery  of  the  Greek  national  garb,  with 
gold-broidered  leggings,  snowy  fustanella,  gaudy  jacket,  and 
red  skull-cap.  In  this  picturesque  dress  he  looked  handsomer 
than  ever,  and  had  quite  recovered  his  bombastic  air,  which 
terror  had  deprived  him  of  during  the  storm. 


178  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"Creespeen!  Mr.  Maurice  !"  he  cried  in  a  startled  voice, 
placing  his  hand  on  one  of  the  pistols  stuck  in  his  belt,  for  he 
was  quite  aware  that  his  treachery  deserved  a  warm  recep- 
tion from  those  whom  he  had  doomed  to  death. 

"You  needn't  do  that,"  said  Crispin,  curling  his  lip  as  he 
observed  the  action  ;  "  we  are  not  going  to  punish  you." 

"  Punish  me  ! "  jeered  the  Greek,  recovering  his  insolent 
manner.  "  Oh,  never  fear,  I  can  defend  myself.  Punish  me  ! 
and  for  why  ?     Because  I  chose  to  save  my  own  life  ! " 

"  Yes,  and  nearly  caused  us  to  lose  ours !  "  said  Maurice 
grimly. 

"  You  know  my  philosophy,  Mr.  Maurice ;  so  why  expect 
me  to  be  false  to  it  ?  " 

"  You  are  an  infernal  scoundrel,  Caliphronas  !  " 

The  Greek  smilingly  showed  his  white  teeth,  as  if  a  com- 
pliment had  been  paid  to  him. 

"  We  are  all  scoundrels  more  or  less,  only  some  are  cleverer 
at  concealing  it  than  other  people,"  he  said  carelessly.  '"'  So 
you  are  all  safe  ?     I  made  sure  you  were  drowned." 

"  And  wished  too,  I  dare  say,"  replied  Crispin  dryly. 
"Well,  you  see  we  have  survived  your  amiable  intention 
of  leaving  us  to  die.     What  about  the  boat  ?  " 

"  The  boat !  oh,  that  was  swamped,"  said  Caliphronas  in 
a  satisfied  tone.  "  Two  of  your  infernal  sailors  threw  me 
overboard." 

"I  seed  'em  a-chuckin'  of  yer,"  remarked  Gurt  in  a  pleas- 
ant tone. 

"  Did  you,  indeed  ?  Well,  they  were  very  soon  chucked 
themselves,  and  of  the  whole  twenty  in  the  boat,  only  half  a 
dozen  are  alive  now." 

"  Where  are  they  ?  " 

"  With  Justinian.  He  sent  me  to  look  for  your  corpses, 
but  I  suppose  he  will  be  rather  astonished  when  he  finds  you 
can  still  use  your  own  legs." 

"  How  did  you  escape  ?  " 

"I  was  tossed  into  the  sea  near  the  shore,  and,  buoyed 
up  by  my  life-belt,  I  managed  to  keep  myself  afloat  till  the 
waves  landed  me  on  the  beach." 

"Naught  was  never  in  danger,"  quoth  Crispin  coolly.  "I 
suppose  all  your  repentance  of  yesterday  has  passed." 

"  Gone  to  the  winds,  my  friend,"  replied  Caliphronas  airily. 
"  Poof  !  what  would  you  ?  There  is  a  time  for  all  things. 
Yesterday  I  was  nearly  dead,  and  talked  nonsense  ;  to-day 
I  am  dry  and  well,  so  it  is  evident  I  am  not  born  to  be 
drowned." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  179 

"Born  to  be  hanged,  more  like,"  said  Maurice  viciously, 
hardly  able  to  conceal  his  dislike  of  this  heartless,  cowardly, 
beautiful  animal  before  him.  "  Well,  it  is  cold  here,  and  we 
are  hungry,  so  1  think  you  had  better  conduct  us  to  Justinian.'^ 

"Come,  then,"  answered  Caliphronas,  leading  the  way. 
"  But  tell  me,  how  did  you  escape  ?  " 

"  With  the  help  of  God ! "  said  Crispin,  resolved  not  to 
gratify  th^  Greek's  curiosity. 

"  Ah,  He  helps  the  sinner  as  well  as  the  saint ;  for  you  see 
I  also  am  alive  and  well." 

"  You  deserved  death  for  your  treachery  !  " 

The  mocking  laughter  of  the  Count  rang  through  the 
darkness. 

"Neither  virtue  nor  vice  is  rewarded  in  every  case  !  I  see 
you  are  safe,  and  the  poor  good  captain  is  dead." 

"  He  is ;  and  you  are  to  blame." 

"  No  doubt  I  will  survive  that  accusation.  Well,  you  have 
lost  your  beautiful  ship,  Crispin." 

"It's  my  loss,  not  yours." 

"  Hark  to  this  philosopher  !  Ha !  how  can  you  leave  this 
island  again  ?  " 

"  What !  does  Justinian  intend  to  keep  us  prisoners  ?  " 

"  Justinian  will  do  what  he  thinks  fit,"  replied  Caliphronas 
significantly.  "You  are  both  rich,  and  can  pay  large  ran- 
soms." 

"You  scoundrel,  you  have  been  putting  these  brigand 
ideas  into  the  old  man's  head." 

Caliphronas  laughed  disagreeably. 

"  Perhaps  I  have.  At  all  events,  if  you  escape  Justinian, 
you  won't  get  away  so  easily  from  Alcibiades." 

"  You  forget  six  sailors  still  survive,"  said  Maurice  sternly, 
"  and  we  are  three,  so  I  think  nine  Englishmen  can  hold  their 
own  against  a  hundred  cowards  like  yourself." 

The  Count  made  a  clutch  at  his  pistol,  and  muttered  an 
execration,  but,  thinking  better  of  it,  recovered  his  temper, 
and  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Well,  well,  we  will  see  !  I  regret,  Mr.  Maurice,  I  did  not 
bring  a  torch  for  this  darkness,  but  you  see  I  know  this  pas- 
sage well,  and  do  not  require  it.  Had  I  known  you  three 
were  coming,  I  would  have  brought  men,  torches,  food,  wine, 
and  all  the  rest  of  it,  to  make  you  comfortable.'^ 

"  Thank  you  for  your  hospitality,"  retorted  Maurice  angrily, 
for  the  mocking  tone  of  this  scamp  was  intolerable j  "but 
*■  Timeo  DanaosJ  " 


180  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  I  don't  understand  Latin,"  said  Caliphronas  coldly ;  "  but 
I've  no  doubt  you've  said  something  uncomplimentary.  How- 
ever, we  need  not  wrangle  any  more,  for  here  we  are  at  the 
gate  of  Melnos." 

The  gate  was  a  huge  structure  of  wood,  formed  by  inter- 
lacing beams  into  a  kind  of  barred  defence,  which  completely 
closed  up  the  tunnel,  and  in  the  centre  of  this  was  a  small 
heavy  iron  door.  Through  the  interstices  they  could  see  the 
faint  glimmer  of  daylight,  a  still  ascending  staircase,  the  red 
flare  of  burning  torches,  and  in  the  doubtful  lights  three  or 
four  men  moving  about. 

"  This  is  to  guard  against  people  like  my  friend  Alcibiades," 
said  Caliphronas,  seeing  the  amazement  of  Maurice  and  Gurt 
at  this  mediaeval  entrance.  "  Like  the  Pass  of  Thermopylae, 
this  tunnel  could  be  defended  by  four  against  many,  so 
Melnos  is  thus  a  city  of  refuge." 

"Ay,  if  treachery  does  not  gain  an  entrance,"  retorted 
Crispin  significantly ;  "  and  that  is  always  possible  when 
there  is  a  traitor  within  the  walls." 

"  Meaning  myself  ? "  rejoined  Caliphronas  tranquilly. 
"  There  you  are  wrong,  and  I  think,  my  dear  Crispin,  you 
must  have  forgotten  that,  in  or  out,  I  can  do  nothing,  as  Jus- 
tinian alone  possesses  the  key  of  this  door.  We  must  send 
Alexandres  for  it.     Oh  la  there,  Alexandres  !  " 

One  of  the  men,  bearing  a  burning  torch,  came  to  the  bars 
of  the  framework,  and  Caliphronas  spoke  to  him  in  Greek, 
while  Crispin,  understanding  the  language  thoroughly,  lis- 
tened attentively,  as,  after  the  Count's  conduct  of  last  night, 
he  was  quite  prepared  for  further  treachery,  and  desired  to 
guard  against  it.  As  soon  as  Caliphronas  finished,  the  man 
went  oif  up  the  staircase,  and  the  Count  turned  round  to  his 
companions  with  a  reassuring  smile. 

"  He  has  gone  to  get  the  key  from  Justinian,"  he  explained 
courteously.  "This  key,  you  must  know,  Mr.  Maurice,  is 
the  emblem  of  sovereignty  in  Melnos  —  the  sceptre  of  the 
island ! " 

"But  it  must  be  rather  a  trouble  going  to  Justinian  for  the 
key  every  time  you  want  to  go  in  or  out ! " 

"There  is  not  much  of  that,"  said  Crispin  quickly;  "the 
people  of  Melnos  stay  at  home  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain. 
'Tis  only  wanderers  like  myself  and  the  Count  who  are  rest- 
less." 

"  The  heart  of  the  mountain ! "  echoed  Maurice,  in  a 
puzzled  tone  j  "  is  it  a  cavern  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  181 

"Ko ;  fresh  air  and  blue  skies." 

"  I  cannot  understand  your  Island  of  Fantasy.  It  is  most 
perplexing,  and  well  deserves  its  name." 

"  So  Justinian  thought,  and  that  is  why  he  called  it  so." 

"  Who  made  this  'ere,  gents  all  ?  "  asked  Gurt,  who  had 
been  surveying  his  nether  world  surroundings  with  much  awe. 

"Justinian." 

"AVell,  sir,  arskin'  yer  pardin,  but  I  niver  thought  a  lazy 
Greek  'ud  have  had  it  in  him  to  do  sich  a  thing." 

Caliphronas  laughed  at  the  indolent  character  ascribed  to 
his  countrymen,  which,  however,  he  could  not  deny  with  any 
great  show  of  reason. 

'•  Justinian  is  not  a  Greek,  but  an  Englishman." 

"I  thought  so,  sir,"  said  Gurt  triumphantly;  "but  'eavms, 
sir !  wot's  he  a-doin'  of  in  this  'ere  lay  ?  " 

"Ah,  that  is  a  mystery ! "  replied  the  Count,  smiling. 

"Blest  if  'tain't  all  queer,"  muttered  Gurt  in  bewilder- 
ment, and  thereupon  relapsed  into  silence. 

The  house  of  Justinian  was  evidently  some  distance  away, 
as  they  had  to  wait  a  considerable  time  before  Alexandros 
returned,  much  to  the  discomfort  of  the  three  shipwrecked 
men,  who  were  beginning  to  feel  their  privations  keenly. 
Maurice  would  have  liked  to  ask  after  Helena,  but  the 
knowledge  that  Caliphronas  was  his  rival  forbade  hini  to 
risk  an  inquiry.  He  now  began  to  see  that  the  anticipa- 
tions of  Crispin  regarding  possible  dangers  were  not  with- 
out some  foundation,  for,  trapped  in  this  mountain  heart, 
which  appeared  to  his  fancy  to  be  a  most  extraordinary 
place,  he  saw  that  Justinian  could  hold  them  prisoners  as 
long  as  he  pleased.  Besides,  this  scamp  of  a  Caliphronas, 
who  hated  both  himself  and  Crispin  thoroughly,  was  evi- 
dently the  right  hand  of  Justinian,  and  thoughts  of  the 
cruelties  of  Greek  brigands  began  to  pass  unpleasantly 
through  his  mind.  Here,  towards  the  end  of  the.  civilized 
nineteenth  century,  was  a  genuine  robber's  cave,  into  which 
he  was  blindlv  walking,  and,  despite  the  presence  of  Crispin, 
who  stood  beside  him,  Maurice  did  not  feel  quite  at  his  ease 
regarding  their  reception  by  this  renegade  Englishman  who 
was  called  Justinian. 

At  length  rapid  steps  were  heard  descending  the  staircase, 
and  Alexandros  came  in  sight,  holding  his  torch  in  one  hand 
and  the  wished-for  key  in  the  other.  Having  unlocked  the 
door,  he  held  it  open  for  them  to  enter,  and,  when  the  four 
men  were  inside,  locked  it  carefully  again,  and  thrust  the  key 


182  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 


I 


into  his  belt  in  order  to  take  it  back  to  his  master.  As  he 
did  so,  he  spoke  to  Caliphronas  in  Greek,  upon  which  the 
Count  translated  the  speech  for  the  benefit  of  Maurice  and 
the  seaman. 

"Justinian  will  see  you  at  the  Acropolis.'' 

"  The  Acropolis  ?  " 

"  Yes !  it  is  a  fancy  he  has  for  calling  his  house  so.  'Tis 
too  small  for  a  palace,  and  too  large  for  an  ordinary  house, 
so  the  intermediate  term  Acropolis  fits  it  exactly.  Come, 
Mr.  Maurice.     Crispin,  you  know  the  way,  don't  you  ?" 

"  Considering  I  have  lived  all  my  life  in  ^lelnos,  I  should 
think  it  highly  probable,"  retorted  the  poet  in  an  annoyed 
tone,  for  the  patronage  of  Caliphronas  was  insufferable. 

Conducted  by  Caliphronas  and  Alexandros,  they  walked 
slowly  up  the  giant  staircase,  and  in  a  short  time  arrived 
at  a  huge  archway  similar  to  the  one  into  which  they  had 
entered.  Through  this  Maurice,  to  his  astonishment,  saw  a 
smiling  landscape,  and  paused  thunderstruck  under  the  great 
arch. 

"  Why,  Melnos  is  in  the  cup  of  the  mountain." 

"Exactly,"  replied  Crispin,  who  was  enjoying  his  aston- 
ishment. "Melnos  is  an  extinct  volcano,  and  this  is  the 
crater.  You  see  we  have  plenty  of  room  for  buildings,  fields, 
cultivation,  and  all  such  desirable  things.  We  are  two  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  sea-level  here." 

Maurice  did  not  reply,  being  too  much  amazed  for  speech, 
and  standing  there  feasted  his  eyes  on  the  beautiful  picture 
framed  by  the  archway,  of  which  he  was  onl}^  able  to  gain  a 
general  idea.  It  was  a  vision  of  snowy  hills,  miniature  for- 
ests, yellow  fields  of  corn,  terraced  vineyards,  and  a  mass  of 
white  houses  in  the  hollow,  while  clinging  to  the  mountain 
side  were  other  buildings  showing  white  against  the  pale 
green  of  the  foliage.  High  above,  encircled  by  the  top  rim 
of  the  crater,  which  was  broken  into  a  dazzling  circle  of 
snow-white  peaks,  was  the  blue  sky,  with  the  burning  sun 
blazing  down  into  the  hollow,  wherein,  like  a  mirror,  flashed 
a  small  lake,  encircled  by  trees.  Below,  palms  waved  their 
feathery  fans,  above,  the  light  green  of  the  pine  trees  burned 
like  emeralds  in  the  hot  sunshine,  and  over  all  this  enchanted 
scene  brooded  an  intense  rest,  an  air  of  serene  calm,  which 
made  it  seem  to  Maurice  like  that  sleepy  land  of  the  lotus- 
eaters. 

And  this  was  Melnos. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  183 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

AN    ISLAND    KING. 

Oh,  I  know  naught  of  the  work-a-day  world  I 

This  is  the  land  of  eternal  quiet, 
"Where  I  can  nestle  in  indolence  curled, 

Far  from  the  clamor  of  modern  riot. 
Here  are  my  wings  of  ambition  close  furled, 
For  I  know  naught  of  the  work-a-day  world. 

I  am  the  king  of  an  indolent  race, 

Working  with  pleasure,  and  not  with  regret; 

Never  the  phantom  of  Money  they  chase, 
Never  they  feel  in  their  bosoms  a  fretj 

Notliing  to  alter,  for  all  is  in  place. 

I  am  the  king  of  an  indolent  race. 

From  the  archway  of  the  tunnel  stretched  two  roads,  one 
to  the  left,  leading  down  to  the  valley  below  by  easy  grada- 
tions, the  other  to  the  right,  running  round  the  cup  of  the 
mountain  on  a  level  with  the  place  where  they  were  now 
standing.  Along  this  latter  road  they  walked,  the  three 
gentlemen  abreast,  and  Gurt,  considerably  bewildered,  rolling 
behind  in  his  nautical  way.  Maurice's  admiration  was 
strongly  excited  by  the  perfection  of  this  road,  which  was 
level  and  broad,  being  apparently  hewn  out  of  the  living 
rock,  while  the  side  nearest  the  valley  was  bordered  by  Cyclo- 
pean masses  of  dressed  stone,  and  a  long  line  of  mulberry 
trees,  now  heavily  foliaged.  On  the  other  side  also,  where 
the  rocks  arose  steep  and  smooth,  was  a  corresponding  line 
of  trees,  so  that  they  walked  through  a  leafy  arcade,  formed 
by  the  meeting  of  the  branches  overhead,  and  their  path  was 
checkered  with  sunlight  shadows  moving  restlessly  under 
their  feet,  as  the  wind  rustled  the  leaves  above.  Through  the 
slim  trunks  of  the  trees,  set  some  little  distance  apart,  they 
caught  glimpses  of  the  town  below  on  the  verge  of  the  blue 
lake,  its  white  houses  embosomed  in  trees,  and  straight 
streets  intersecting  each  other  at  right  angles,  so  that  it 
looked  like  a  miniature  chess-board.  Maurice  was  in  ecsta- 
sies over  this  Eden  of  the  South,  and  could  not  express  his 
delight  in  high  enough  terms  to  his  companions. 

"  It  is  a  place  to  dream  in  !  "  he  said  enthusiastically  ;  "  a 
land  of  the  lotos  !  I  don't  wonder  Justinian  desires  to  keep 
all  outside  influences  away  from  this   paradise.      Upon  my 


184  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

word,  Caliphronas,  with,  such  a  beautiful  spot  as  this  to  dwell 
in,  I  do  not  wonder  you  were  discontented  with  our  gray 
island  of  the  West.  My  only  astonishment  is  that  you 
should  ever  wish  to  go  beyond  this  enchanted  circle  of 
mountains." 

'^Oh,  it's  pretty  enough,"  said  Caliphronas  carelessly,  cast- 
ing a  glance  at  the  lovely  valley  below  :  "  but  one  grows  tired 
of  lovely  places,  the  same  as  one  wearies  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful woman." 

"Every  one  is  not  so  fickle  as  you  are,"  cried  Crispin 
sharply. 

"  Well,  you  did  not  stay  in  this  paradise  yourself,  Crees- 
peen." 

"  I  was  banished  from  it,  and  you  were  the  serpent  who 
caused  my  banishment." 

"  Bah  !  do  not  lay  the  blame  on  me.  You  ate  of  the  Tree 
of  Knowledge,  and  wanted  to  know  too  much ;  so  Justinian 
got  rid  of  you." 

"  I  only  wanted  to  know  about  myself." 

"  Then  you  never  will." 

"  Won't  I  ?  You  forget  that  I  am  equal  with  Justinian 
now." 

"Are  you  really?"  said  Caliphronas  mockingly.  "I 
think  not.  Justinian  has  the  wisdom  of  sixty  years  against 
your  thirty.     The  half  is  not  equal  to  the  whole." 

"  Well,  you  have  something  to  gain  as  well  as  I,"  flashed 
out  Crispin  fiercely  ;  "  so  if  I  am  beaten,  you  will  not  be  in 
a  much  better  condition." 

"  Eh  !  you  think  so  ?  I  have  Justinian's  promise,  remem- 
ber." 

"  You  have  ;  and  if  I  know  anything  of  Justinian  he'll 
break  it." 

"  He  dare  not !     Melnos  is  not  impregnable." 

"  Probably  not ;  but  you  cannot  storm  it  single-handed." 

"  What  about  my  dear  Alcibiades  ? "  sneered  the  Greek 
significantly. 

Crispin  stopped,  and  looked  Caliphronas  up  and  down  with 
scorn. 

"  You  had  better  not  say  any  more,  Andros,  or  I  may  be 
tempted  to  tell  Justinian  of  j-our  intention." 

"  All  I  say  is  not  meant,"  cried  Caliphronas  in  evident 
alarm  ;  "  but  Justinian  cannot  go  back  from  his  word  about 
Helena." 

"  Helena  ! "  said  Maurice,  who  had  hitherto  kept  silence. 
"  What  about  Helena  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  185 

"Nothing to  do  with  you,  sir,"  retorted  Caliphronas  rudely, 
and  walked  on  quickly. 

"  What  does  he  mean?  "  asked  Maurice,  turning  to  Crispin 
with  a  frown. 

"Nothing  more  than  what  I  told  you  on  The  Eunice,  when 
we  were  off  Taygetus." 

"  You  told  me  Caliphronas  loved  Helena ;  but  this 
promise  "  — 

*'  That  has  to  do  with  Justinian,"  said  Crispin  hastily ; 
''you  must  ask  him  for  information.  After  all,  Maurice, 
you  had  better  wait  and  see  how  things  turn  out  before  you 
cross  swords  with  Caliphronas." 

"  Ah  !  you  think,  then,  we  will  cross  swords  ?  " 

"  I  fancy  it  is  extremely  probable.  This  Helena  will  be 
an  apple  of  discord,  as  was  her  predecessor  of  Troy.  But, 
however  much  you  two  men  fight  for  her,  remember  it  is  the 
lady  herself  who  decides  whom  she  will  take." 

"  If  she  is  the  woman  I  judge  her  to  be  from  her  pure 
face,  she  will  never  take  that  scamp  of  a  Greek." 

"  Oh  ho !  that  is  as  much  as  to  say  she  will  take  you,  my 
Lord  Conceit ;  but  never  mind  Helena  just  now.  We  have 
to  get  into  the  good  graces  of  Justinian,  or  else  "  — 

"  Well  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  seeing  Crispin  paused  signifi- 
cantly ;  "  what  will  happen  ?  " 

"I  can't  tell  yet ;  but,  after  all,  why  anticipate  evil  ?  " 

"  Crispin,  you  are  as  ambiguous  as  a  Delphic  oracle." 

"And  about  as  doubtful,"  retorted  the  poet,  laughing. 
"But  here  we  are  at  the  Acropolis." 

"  Well,  I'm  darned  !  "  observed  Gurt  in  astonishment ; 
and  his  exclamation  of  surprise  was  certainly  pardonable, 
for  no  one  would  have  expected  to  find  so  splendid  a  build- 
ing in  this  lonely  island  of  the  ^gean  Sea. 

A  broad  flight  of  fine-grained  red  limestone  stairs  led  up 
to  a  lofty  platform  of  the  same  material,  this  splendid  ascent 
being  bordered  on  both  sides  by  masses  of  dark  green  laurel 
trees,  which  accentuated  the  roseate  tint  of  the  staircase. 
On  the  platform,  some  distance  back,  arose  a  large  edifice, 
somewhat  after  the  model  of  the  Parthenon  at  Athens,  with 
graceful  slender  pillars  of  white  marble  supporting  the 
weighty  entablature,  the  frieze  of  which  was  delicately 
carved  with  god-like  forms  of  nude  youths,  white-draped 
maidens,  severe-faced  old  men,  rearing  horses,  and  seated 
deities.  Above  this  the  pediment,  in  the  centre  of  which 
was  sculptured  a  life-sized  figure  of   HephaistoS;  with  his 


186  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

anvil  and  raised  hammer,  while  the  bas-reliefs  on  either  side 
represented  long  trains  of  unclothed  men,  with  their  faces 
turned  to  the  god,  coming  towards  him  with  supplicating 
hands,  as  if  for  the  gift  of  fire.  The  Pentelican  marble  of 
this  temple  was  now  toned  down  by  the  weather  to  a  delicate 
gray  hue,  which  contrasted  charmingly  with  the  red  stair- 
case, the  dark  laurels,  and  the  faint  green  of  the  foliage 
which  clothed  the  mountain  at  the  back  of  the  building. 

'•'  Justinian  never  built  this  ! "  cried  Maurice,  transfixed 
in  amazement  at  the  suave  beauty  of  the  whole  building ; 
"no  architects  of  to-day  could  have  designed  such  perfec- 
tion." 

"  No,"  replied  Crispin,  as  they  ascended  the  steps  ;  "  only 
this  staircase  and  the  platform  are  modern,  for  the  temple  is 
an  old  Greek  one,  built  in  Heaven  knows  what  year  of  Hel- 
lenic art,  and  Justinian,  finding  it  in  a  ruinous  condition, 
restored  it  as  you  see.  The  front  was  fortunately  intact,  but 
he  has  arranged  the  interior  as  a  dwelling-house.  It  is  a 
shrine  to  Vulcan,  and,  I  presume,  was  built  here  because  this 
island  is  volcanic  in  character,  though  indeed  it  is  far  away 
from  the  Hephsestiades." 

"I  do  not  wonder  Justinian  calls  it  the  Acropolis,  for  it  is 
a  magnificent  building,  and  worthy  of  the  name.  Oh,  Crispin, 
look  at  that  nude  youth  struggling  with  the  rearing  horse  ! " 

"  You  can  look  at  all  that  another  time,"  replied  the  poet, 
laughing  at  the  sculptor's  enthusiasm;  "meanwhile,  Jus- 
tinian is  waiting  us." 

They  entered  the  great  door  of  the  building,  followed  by 
the  awestruck  Gurt,  who  was  too  much  astonished  to  speak, 
and  advanced  along  a  lofty  hall  towards  an  archway  draped 
with  heavy  blue  curtains.  Drawing  these  aside,  they  entered 
into  an  open  court,  bordered  by  ranges  of  white  marble  col- 
umns, for  the  temple  was  hypaethral  in  character,  and  the 
sun  shone  brightly  through  the  opening  of  the  roof.  Between 
these  snow-white  pillars  hung  heavy  curtains  of  azure  tint, 
embroidered  with  bizarre  figures  in  yellow  silk.  The  pave- 
ment was  of  smooth  white  marble,  and  there  was  a  small 
fountain  in  the  middle,  splashing  musically  into  a  broad  pool 
which  brimmed  nearly  to  the  verge  of  its  marble  marge.  A 
number  of  Turkish  mats,  comfortable-looking  cane  chairs, 
silk-covered  cushions,  and  dainty  bamboo  tables  were  scat- 
tered about,  and  finally,  the  whole  court  was  one  mass  of 
flowers. 

Slender  palms,  bowing  their  feathery  fronds,  stood  in  huge 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  187 

red  jars,  which  added  a  bright  touch  of  color  to  the  general 
whiteness  ;  while  there  were  oblong  boxes  filled  with  hetero- 
geneous masses  of  violets,  pansies,  golden  crocus,  anemones, 
gladioli,  and  cyclamen,  all  glowing  in  one  dazzling  blaze  of 
color.  There  were  also  cytisus  trees  with  their  bright  yellow 
blossoms,  great  bushes  of  roses  red  with  flowers,  delicate 
white  lilies  springing  virgin-like  from  amid  their  green 
leaves,  and  the  pink  buds  of  the  gum  cistus  with  its  aromatic 
odors,  while  between  stood  the  myrtles,  sacred  to  love.  All 
this  gorgeous  mass  of  colors  was  blended  skilfully  with  a 
prevailing  tint  of  green  foliage,  and  what  with  the  blue  cur- 
tains, the  dazzling  white  of  the  pillars  and  pavement,  even 
under  the  hot  southern  sun  it  did  not  pain  the  artistic  eye 
with  a  sense  of  incongruous  hues,  but  rather  pleased  and 
satisfied  it  by  its  bright  beauty  and  variety  of  hue. 

"  What  flowers  !  what  flowers ! "  cried  Maurice,  with  genuine 
admiration.  "Why,  this  is  finer  even  than  the  Eector's 
rose-garden." 

"  These  are  Helena's  flowers,"  said  Crispin,  smiling  ;  "  she 
is  so  fond  of  them  that  she  ought  to  be  called  Chloris. 
Hush !  here  is  Justinian." 

There  was  a  grating  sound  of  rings  being  drawn  along  a 
rod,  and  Maurice  turned  to  the  left,  to  see  the  blue  draperies 
held  to  one  side  by  an  exceptionally  tall  man,  with  a  long 
gray  beard  and  keen  black  eyes,  who  was  dressed  in  a  grace- 
ful robe  of  soft  white  wool,  falling  in  classic  folds  to  his 
feet.  Maurice  himself  was  over  the  ordinary  height,  but  this 
ancient,  holding  himself  erect  as  a  dart,  seemed  to  tower 
above  him,  and,  as  he  moved  towards  Maurice  with  out- 
stretched hand,  the  Englishman  involuntarily  thought  of 
the  Homeric  description  of  Nestor. 

"  Mr.  Eoylands,"  said  Justinian,  taking  the  young  man's 
hand,  and  looking  keenly  at  him,  "you  are  welcome  to  my 
island.     I  am  the  Demarch  of  Melnos." 

Behind  Justinian  came  Caliphronas,  who  looked  rather 
dismayed  when  he  saw  the  courtesy  with  which  the  island 
king  received  his  guest ;  and  even  Crispin  made  a  gesture  of 
surprise,  which  movement  at  once  drew  the  old  man's  eyes 
towards  him. 

"You  also,  truant !"  he  said,  taking  the  poet's  hand,  but 
without  releasing  his  hold  of  Maurice  ;  "  you  have  come  back 
to  Melnos  ?  " 

"Yes,  for  a  purpose,"  said  Crispin  boldly,  evidently  not  to 
be  duped  by  the  suave  greeting  of  Justinian. 


188  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

As  a  flash  of  lightning  leaps  from  the  heart  of  a  dark 
cloud,  so  gleamed  a  glance  from  Justinian's  dark  eyes,  and 
he  was  evidently  about  to  make  some  fierce  retort  to  the 
bold  poet,  when  he  restrained  himself  with  wonderful  self- 
command,  and  released  the  hands  of  both  the  young  men. 

"  Before  I  ask  you  any  questions,  gentlemen,"  he  said, 
striking  a  silver  bell  that  stood  on  one  of  the  small  tables 
near,  '•  I  must  attend  to  the  rites  of  hospitality." 

A  man  made  his  appearance,  and  bowed  submissively  to 
Justinian. 

"  The  bath  !  the  meal !  for  these  guests,"  said  the  old  man 
in  tones  of  command,  speaking  in  Greek.  "  You  can  attend 
to  Mr.  Crispin  — tell  Georgios  to  see  to  the  other  gentleman. 
When  you  are  quite  refreshed,"  he  added  in  English,  turning 
to  his  guests,  "  I  will  speak  to  you  here." 

"  But  Gurt  ?  "  said  Maurice,  pausing  a  moment. 

"  Oh,  the  sailor ! "  observed  Justinian,  carelessl}^  looking 
at  him ;  "  let  him  follow  you,  and  Anasthasius  can  look  after 
him.     Go  now  !     I  will  await  your  return  here." 

The  young  men,  astonished  at  the  courtesy  of  their  recep- 
tion, Crispin  being  not  less  so  than  Maurice,  went  out  with 
Gurt  after  the  man ;  and  Justinian,  flinging  himself  into  a 
chair,  with  a  deep  sigh,  covered  his  face  with  his  hands. 
Caliphronas,  leaning  gracefully  against  one  of  the  pillars, 
looked  at  this  exhibition  of  what  he  considered  weakness 
with  disdain,  but  did  not  dare  to  break  upon  the  revery  of 
Justinian,  of  whom  he  had  a  wholesome  dread.  He  picked 
a  pink  oleander  blossom  and  placed  it  in  his  belt,  then,  after 
walking  about  for  a  few  minutes  with  a  frown  on  his  face, 
sat  down  on  a  stone  margin  of  the  fountain  and  began  to 
dabble  in  the  water  with  his  hands.  After  a  time,  Justinian 
looked  up  with  a  second  sigh. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  him  ?  "  asked  the  Count  in 
Greek,  at  the  sound  of  which  the  old  man  made  a  gesture  of 
annoyance. 

"  Speak  English,  you  fool !  I  love  to  hear  my  own  lan- 
guage." 

"  You  will  get  plenty  of  it  shortly,  then,"  said  Caliphronas 
coolly.  "Nine  Englishmen  already  on  the  island,  — bah  !  it 
is  a  British  possession." 

"  You  are  right,  Andros.  I  am  British,  and  as  this  island 
is  mine,  it  is  a  British  possession." 

Caliphronas  frowned,  as  if  this  way  of  looking  at  things 
was  distasteful  to  him,  but,  not  caring  to  argue  about  sucli  a 
delicate  matter,  repeated  his  first  remark. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  189 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  him  ?  " 

"  Maurice  Roylands  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

Justinian  pondered  a  moment,  and  was  about  to  reply, 
when,  catching  sight  of  the  eager  gleam  in  the  Greek's  eyes, 
he  altered  his  mind  at  once. 

"  I  will  tell  you  when  I  know  him  better  ;  I  never  make 
up  my  mind  in  a  hurry.  You  ought  to  be  aware  of  that  by 
this  time." 

The  other,  ill-contented  with  this  reticence,  would  have 
persisted  in  his  questioning,  but  the  old  man,  seeing  this, 
shut  him  up  sharply. 

"  Be  silent,  Andros !  I  will  give  you  my  opinion  in  my 
own  good  time.  Meanwhile,  mind  you  treat  my  guests  with 
all  courtesy." 

"  Even  Creespeen  ?  "  said  Caliphronas,  with  a  sneer. 

"  Yes,  even  Crispin,"  reiterated  Justinian  in  a  fiery  tone. 
<'  I  have  my  reasons  for  acting  as  I  do  now.  If  you  dare  to 
disobey  my  orders,  I  have  a  way  to  silence  you." 

Caliphronas  turned  pale,  for  he  knew  that  Justinian  was 
absolute  ruler  of  Melnos,  while  he  was  thoroughly  well 
hated  by  the  inhabitants,  one  and  all. 

"  I  have  no  intention  of  acting  contrary  to  your  desires," 
he  replied  sulkily,  rising  to  his  feet;  "but  I  cannot  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  your  actions.  However,  I  have  done 
what  you  desired,  and  Mr.  Maurice  is  in  Melnos.  Now,  I 
presume,  you  will  fulfil  your  part  of  the  bargain." 

"Certainly;  you  have  my  permission  to  pay  your  addresses 
to  my  daughter." 

"  And  you  will  make  her  marry  me  ?  "  asked  Caliphronas 
eagerly. 

The  King  sprang  from  his  seat  with  a  gesture  of  anger. 

"  I  will  force  my  daughter  in  no  way  ! "  he  roared  fiercely. 
"  I  forbade  you  to  think  of  Helena  as  a  bride,  but,  provided 
you  brought  Roylands  here,  I  gave  you  permission  to  woo 
her.  As  to  forcing  her  into  a  marriage  with  you,  there  was 
no  question  of  such  a  thing." 

"  I  thought  there  was,"  retorted  the  Greek,  who  was  white 
with  rage. 

"  You  put  your  own  base  construction  on  my  motives. 
How  dare  you  question  me,  Andros  !  Am  I  master  here,  or 
are  you  ?  Helena  is  free  to  marry  you  if  she  wishes  ;  but, 
as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  would  rather  you  were  drowned 
in  the  sea  than  become  my  son-in-law." 


190  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

The  Count  went  alternately  red  and  white  as  Justinian 
spoke,  and  when  the  speech  was  ended  tried  to  answer,  but 
his  rage  was  such  that  he  could  sa}^  nothing,  so,  with  a 
choking  cry  of  anger,  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  darted  out 
of  the  court ;  while  the  King,  much  agitated,  walked  up  and 
down  hurriedly,  his  white  robe  sweeping  the  pavement. 

"  What  does  the  boy  mean  ?  "  he  muttered  angrily.  "  I 
do  not  like  these  veiled  threats.  Melnos  is  well  defended, 
but  I  mistrust  Andros  —  he  is  too  much  a  friend  of  that 
rascal  Alcibiades.  Bah !  I  have  no  fear  —  treachery  for 
treachery  !  —  and  if  Andros  dares  "  — 

He  paused  abruptly,  and,  raising  his  hands,  shook  them 
impotently  at  the  sky,  then  resumed  his  seat  with  a  frown, 
which  boded  ill  for  Caliphrouas  in  the  event  of  anj"  double 
dealing  on  his  part  being  discovered.  A  peacock  came  walk- 
ing proudly  along  the  court,  with  his  splendid  tail  erect, 
shining  like  some  rich  product  of  the  Eastern  loom,  with 
its  manifold  colors,  fantastic  moons,  and  iridescent  sheen, 
which  flashed  gloriously  in  the  sunshine.  Evidently  irri- 
tated at  not  being  noticed,  the  vain  bird  uttered  a  discordant 
shriek,  which  had  the  effect  of  making  his  master  look  up 
suddenly. 

"  Ha,  Argos  ! "  he  said,  with  a  sardonic  smile  ;  "  you  are 
like  Andros,  my  friend,  fine  to  look  at  and  nothing  else. 
But  it  would  be  as  easy  to  wring  your  neck,  with  all  your 
bravery,  as  it  would  that  of  my  handsome  scamp  j^onder." 

The  bird  strutted  proudly  along,  the  feathers  of  its  neck 
glistening  with  every  movement  of  its  head. 

"You  have  many  eyes,  my  Argos,"  resumed  Justinian, 
after  a  pause,  "  but  your  human  prototype  has  none  at  all. 
He  sees  no  farther  than  his  own  straight  nose,  else  he  would 
be  more  cautious  in  his  deeds,  and  less  daring  in  his  words. 
It  looks  as  if  he  were  going  to  dispute  my  will  ;  well,  he 
can  do  so,  and  we  will  see  who  will  come  off  best  —  Andros 
or  Justinian." 

At  this  moment  Maurice  and  the  poet  entered  the  court, 
whereupon  Argos  fled  in  dismay. 

"  An  omen ! "  thought  Justinian,  as  he  arose  to  receive 
them;  "with  these  I  need  not  fear  the  machinations  of  Pea- 
cock Andros." 

The  two  gentlemen,  refreshed  by  their  bath  and  a  hearty 
meal,  were  now  arrayed  in  loose,  flowing  robes  of  white 
wool,  similar  to  that  of  Justinian.  Crispin  wore  this  antique 
garb   gracefully  enough,  very  evidently  used  to  managing 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  191 

such  draperies ;  but  Maurice  found  them  awkward,  and  as 
he  sat  down  seemed  rather  ashamed  of  the  effeminacy  of 
the  dress.  The  King  noticed  this,  and  smiled  broadly  at  the 
Englishman's  want  of  dexterity. 

"  You  do  not  like  these  ?  "  he  said,  touching  his  own  robe 
lightly;  ''but,  believe  me,  they  are  very  comfortable  within 
doors  in  this  climate.  When  you  go  out  to  look  at  my  island, 
1  will  supply  you  with  a  less  embarrassing  dress  —  more 
adapted  for  walking  and  climbing." 

"I  like  my  legs  to  be  free,  sir,"  observed  Maurice,  striv- 
ing to  look  at  his  ease  in  these  long  white  draperies,  whereon 
Justinian  laughed  again  at  this  naive  confession. 

"  Yes ;  we  English  are  an  active  race,"  he  said,  leaning 
back  in  his  chair,  "and  like  all  clothing  to  be  tight  and  trig; 
but  indoors  you  will  find  these  flowing  robes  more  adaptable 
than  a  shooting  suit  would  be.  When  one  is  in  the  East, 
one  should  adopt  Eastern  customs.  For  myself,  I  have  be- 
come a  Sybarite  in  luxury  since  dwelling  in  Melnos." 

"  Where  is  Caliphronas  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  looking  about 
him  for  the  Greek. 

"  Caliphronas  ?  Oh  yes  ;  I  forgot  his  travelling-name.  A 
count,  is  he  not,  of  the  Greek  Empire  ?  He  took  a  fine  name 
to  match  his  fine  feathers.  Well,  Andros  has  just  left  me  in 
a  fit  of  bad  temper." 

"  You  do  not  appear  to  like  Andros  so  much  as  you  did, 
Justinian." 

The  Greco-Englishman  smiled  significantly. 

"Andros  is  —  Andros,"  he  replied  dryly,  "and  is  anything 
but  relial)le.  What  do  you  think  of  my  handsome  Greek, 
]\rr.  Eoylands  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  is  a  scamp,"  retorted  Maurice  briefly. 

"  How  long  did  it  take  you  to  find  that  out  ?  "  asked  Jus- 
tinian, without  showing  any  sign  of  surprise. 

"  I  did  not  find  it  out  at  all.  He  confessed  his  scampish- 
ness  himself  with  the  most  appalling  cynicism. 

"  Oh,  as  far  as  cynicism  goes,  Andros  might  be  a  boule- 
vardier  soaked  in  absinthe.  It  is  the  soul  makes  the  man, 
not  the  surroundings.  But  never  mind  this  scamp ;  I  wish 
to  hear  all  about  your  cruise." 

"  Hasn't  Caliphronas  told  you  ?  " 

"  Caliphronas  has  told  me  his  version  of  the  story,  which 
is  all  to  his  own  credit ;  but  those  six  sailors  who  are  at 
present  in  Melnos  seemed  to  disagree  with  his  praises  of 
himself,  so  I  would  like  to  hear  what  you  two  gentlemen 
have  to  say." 


192  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Whereupon  Crispin,  being  the  more  fluent  of  speech,  told 
the  whole  story,  from  the  time  of  the  Greek's  arrival  at  Roy- 
lauds,  —  narrated  the  beginning  of  the  voyage,  the  arrival  in 
Greek  waters,  the  storm,  the  loss  of  the  yacht,  and  the  sub- 
sequent treachery  of  Caliphronas.  During  the  recital,  Jus- 
tinian, with  compressed  lips,  listened  to  it  in  silence,  only 
uttering  a  smothered  exclamation  of  rage  when  he  heard  how 
Caliphronas  had  cut  the  rope,  and  left  those  on  board  the 
yacht  to  perish. 

'•  Thank  you,  Crispin,"  he  said,  when  the  poet  brought  his 
narrative  to  a  close ;  "  your  story  is  worthy  of  being  told  by 
Ulysses  at  the  court  of  Alcinous.  I  am  glad  you  escaped 
the  fate  intended  you  by  Andros ;  but  if  he  had  succeeded, 
I  don't  think  he  would  have  dared  to  show  his  face  here." 

Crispin  glanced  at  Maurice  significantly,  and  Justinian 
caught  the  look  with  his  accustomed  keen-sightedness. 

"  I  speak  for  you  as  well  as  Mr.  Roylands,"  he  said  quickly. 
"We  did  not  get  on  well  in  the  past,  Crispin,  but  let  us  hope 
we  will  be  more  friendly  in  the  future." 

The  poet,  considerably  astonished  at  this  unwonted  emo- 
tion of  Justinian,  accepted  the  proffered  hand  of  the  old 
man,  —  although  he  did  so  with  a  somewhat  doubtful  air. 

"  I  cannot  forget  you  were  kind  to  me  in  my  youth,  Jus- 
tinian, and  brought  me  up ;  but  I  cannot  understand  these 
sentiments,  now  so  different  from  those  you  expressed  when 
we  last  met." 

"You  were  yourself  to  blame  in  the  matter,  Crispin. 
Force  is  of  no  avail  with  me,  and  you  came  in  a  rage  to 
demand  what  I  refused  to  tell  you.  I  have  been  a  wild  man 
in  my  day,  but  I  am  not  so  absolutely  bad  as  you  think  me, 
and  it  depends  upon  yourself  as  to  whether  I  tell  you  what 
you  wish  to  learn." 

"  I  have  a  right  to  know  !  "  cried  the  poet  impetuously. 

"  That  I  question,"  retorted  Justinian,  with  a  flash  of  his 
keen  eyes.  "  I  will  tell  you  or  not  entirely  at  my  own  pleas- 
ure ;  but  the  tone  you  adopt  will  not  make  me  answer  your 
questions.  The  storm  cannot  bend  the  oak,  but  the  gentlest 
breeze  will  make  its  branches  quiver.  Lay  that  parable  to 
heart  in  your  demeanor  towards  me,  Crispin,  and  all  will  yet 
be  well ;  otherwise  —  well,  you  know  how  you  left  last  time." 

The  young  man  made  no  reply,  but  relapsed  into  moody 
silence,  whereupon  Justinian  turned  to  Maurice  with  a 
winning  smile. 

"  You  must  bring  this  obstinate  boy  to  reason,  Mr.  Roy- 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  193 

lands.  Believe  me,  it  is  as  well  we  should  be  all  firm  friends 
and  allies,  as  I  have  reason  to  believe  there  will  be  trouble." 

"  From  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"Exactly.  He  has  made  a  demand  of  me  which  I  refuse 
to  grant." 

"  About  Helena  ?  "  said  Crispin,  suddenly  looking  up. 

"  Yes  ;  did  he  tell  you  ?  " 

"  He  said  you  had  made  him  a  promise  to  give  him  Helena 
for  his  wife,  if  he  carried  out  your  plans." 

"  That's  a  lie  !  "  cried  Justinian  impetuously.  "  I  said  he 
could  pay  his  addresses  to  Helena,  but  the  question  of  mar- 
riage I  left  entirely  in  her  own  hands." 

"Oh,"  said  Crispin  quickly,  "that  puts  quite  a  different 
face  on  the  affair." 

"  At  all  events,  Helena  will  never  marry  him,"  said  Maurice 
abruptly,  w^hereon  the  King  turned  on  him  in  surprise. 

"  What  do  you  know  of  Helena  ?  " 

"'  Only  this,"  replied  Maurice,  handing  the  portrait  of  the 
girl  to  her  father.  "  Caliphronas  showed  me  that  face,  and 
I  fell  in  love  with  it." 

"  Oh,  you  fell  in  love  with  it ! "  remarked  Justinian  in  a 
tone  of  satisfaction. 

"  Yes ;  in  fact,  it  was  that  which  brought  me  to  Melnos." 

Justinian  smiled  in  a  satisfied  way,  but  suddenly  frowned. 

"  So  Andros  dared  to  use  this  as  a  lure  !  "  he  muttered  in 
Greek ;  "  well,  he  has  succeeded  to  his  own  undoing." 

"  I  thought  you  would  think  so,"  said  Crispin,  who  over- 
heard the  speech ;  "  as  soon  as  I  heard  the  reason  of  Andros' 
coming  to  Koylands,  I  guessed  your  intentioti." 

"  How  could  you  do  that  ?  "  asked  the  old  man  quickly ; 
"  you  knew  nothing." 

"  I  know  all  —  Andros  told  me." 

"Traitor!"  said  Justinian  fiercely.  "Well,  Crispin,  if 
you  do  know,  keep  your  own  counsel  until  such  time  as  I 
choose  to  tell  my  own  story." 

"I  promise  you." 

"  And  in  return  I  will,  at  my  own  convenience,  tell  you 
what  you  desire  to  know  about  your  parentage." 

"  Do  this,"  cried  Crispin,  springing  up  and  clasping  Jus- 
tinian by  the  hand,  "  and  I  will  be  your  friend  for  life  ! " 

"  You  had  better  be  my  friend  for  your  own  sake,"  retorted 
the  King  angrily ;  "  united  we  stand,  divided  we  fall.  Re- 
member, Andros  is  vour  and  my  enemy." 

"And  Alcibiades?" 


194  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Alcibiades  would  like  nothing  better  than  an  excuse  to 
plunder  Melnos.  However,  we  are  nine  Englishmen,  not 
counting  my  Greeks,  and  I  think  with  all  we  will  be  a  match 
for  Andros,  Alcibiades,  and  their  brother  blackguards." 

This  conversation  took  place  in  Greek,  so  was  therefore 
quite  unintelligible  to  Maurice,  who  looked  from  the  one  to 
the  other  in  astonishment.  On  seeing  this,  Justinian  turned 
towards  him  with  a  courteous  apology,  and  restored  the 
portrait. 

"  As  Andros  gave  you  this,  I  will  not  deprive  you  of  it, 
Mr.  Roylands,"  he  said  politely  ;  "  but  shortly  I  hope  to  pre- 
sent you  to  the  original." 

"  Now  ?  "  asked  Maurice  eagerly. 

"  No ;  you  must  go  and  sleep  this  afternoon,"  replied  Jus- 
tinian authoritatively  ;  "'  and  you  also,  Crispin.  After  your 
dangers  of  last  night,  you  must  be  quite  worn  out." 

"  Well,  the  bath  and  a  meal  have  done  wonders,"  said 
Crispin,  yawning ;  "  but  I  must  say  a  few  hours'  sleep  would 
complete  the  cure." 

"  And  when  will  we  see  Helena  ?  "  demanded  Roylands 
persistently. 

"This  evening,"  answered  Justinian,  taking  him  by  the 
hand.  "  We  must  be  good  friends,  jNIr.  Roylands,  for  I  like 
your  face.  Tell  me,  do  you  resemble  your  father  or  your 
mother  most  ?  " 

"My  mother,"  said  Maurice,  rather  astonished  at  this 
strange  question. 

Justinian  looked  at  him  steadily,  then,  dropping  his  hand 
with  a  sigh,  turned  away,  as  if  to  conceal  some  sudden  emo- 
tion. After  a  time  he  recovered  himself,  and  spoke  sharply, 
as  if  to  atone  for  his  faint-heartedness. 

"  Come,  come,  gentlemen,  be  off  to  your  rooms  ! "  he  said 
testily ;  "  sleep  is  what  you  need." 

"  And  Helena ! "  said  Crispin,  as  he  and  Maurice  left  the 
court. 

"  And  Helena ! "  repeated  Justinian  in  a  satisfied  tone ; 
"yes,  this  is  her  husband,  not  Andros." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  195 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

VENUS    URANIA. 

To  rose-red  sky,  from  rose-red  sea, 

At  rose-red  dawn  she  came, 
A  fiery  rose  of  earth  to  he, 

And  light  the  dark  with  flame ; 
Then  earth  and  sky  triumphantly 

Rang  loud  with  men's  acclaim. 

A  rose  art  thou,  O  goddess  fair, 

And  bloom  as  men  aspire,  — 
Red  rose  to  those  whom  passions  snare. 

White  rose  to  chaste  desire ; 
Yet  red  rose  wanes  with  pale  despair, 

And  white  rose  burns  as  fire. 

After  all  that  he  had  come  through,  Maurice  found  no 
diflS.culty  in  inducing  sleep  to  come  to  his  pillow.  The  room 
he  occupied  was  one  of  those  built  by  Justinian  when  he 
renovated  this  antique  fane,  and  the  walls,  floor,  and  ceiling 
were  of  that  fine-grained  red  sandstone  of  which  the  stair- 
case was  built.  The  pavement  was  bare,  save  for  Turkish 
rugs  scattered  here  and  there,  which  lack  of  carpeting  made 
the  apartment  wonderfully  cool  and  pleasant,  but  the  walls 
were  draped  with  a  heavy  kind  of  woollen  tapestry  similar 
to  those  in  the  court,  saving  that  the  color  was  a  pale  gray, 
and  the  embroideries  terra-cotta  color  to  match  the  floor. 
A  wide  window,  shaded  by  Indian  beadworked  blinds,  looked 
out  on  to  a  pleasant  prospect  of  forest  which  clothed  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  and  the  cool  wind,  heavy  with  aroma- 
tic scents,  stole  into  the  room.  It  was  also  furnished  in  a 
somewhat  antique  fashion,  though  here  and  there  an  anach- 
ronism betrayed  the  nineteenth  century,  but  the  couch 
whereon  Maurice  rested  was  purely  Greek  in  design,  and 
lying  on  this  in  his  white  robe,  with  a  purple  coverlet  flung 
carelessly  over  his  feet,  he  might  have  been  taken  for  some 
dweller  in  ancient  Athens.  True,  the  mustache  on  his  lip 
savored  somewhat  of  the  barbarian,  but  in  all  other  respects 
the  comparison  was  close  enough,  for  if  his  features  were 
not  quite  so  classic  in  outline  as  those  of  Caliphronas,  they 
were  sufficiently  so  to  pass  muster  in  the  carrying  out  of 
such  fancy. 

Lying  there  with  his  eyes  half  closed,  the  young  English- 


196  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

man  in  a  drowsy  fashion  felt  the  baliu}^  odors  permeating 
the  warm  air,  and  saw  as  in  a  dream  the  antique  room,  the 
pleasant  prospect  beyond,  which  was  but  mistil}^  seen 
through  the  veiling  beadwork  blind.  He  was  puzzled  over 
the  kind  reception  accorded  to  him  by  this  strange  Jus- 
tinian, who  he  had  been  led  to  believe  was  a  kind  of  modern 
freebooter.  No  swarthy,  fantasticallj'-dressed,  savage  ma- 
rauder was  this  island  king,  but  a  gracious,  courteous  gentle- 
man, arrayed  in  the  white  robe  of  Socrates,  with  a  winning 
smile  on  his  face,  and  polite  words  on  his  lips.  Crispin 
seemed  to  mistrust  him  indeed,  but  even  Crispin  seemed 
somewhat  astonished  at  the  suavity  of  his  greeting,  and  now 
appeared  inclined  to  recant  his  former  dislike  of  the  old 
man.  Maurice  longed  to  have  a  confidential  chat  with 
Crispin,  and  find  out  his  feelings  on  the  subject,  as  it  was 
evident  that,  far  from  inclining  to  Caliphronas,  their  host 
seemed  more  disposed  to  side  with  them. 

Again,  Maurice  found  it  difficult  to  account  for  the  old 
man's  sudden  liking  for  himself,  for  the  satisfaction  with 
which  he  had  received  the  information  that  his  daughter's 
face  had  lured  the  young  Englishman  to  his  island  retreat, 
and  for  many  other  things. 

''  Mystery,  mystery,  nothing  but  mystery  ! "  said  Mau- 
rice to  himself,  as  he  closed  his  aching  eyes.  "  I  cannot 
make  these  folks  out ;  but,  at  all  events.  King  Justinian 
does  not  seem  to  disapprove  of  my  passion,  and  is  inclined 
to  give  Crispin  the  information  he  desires,  so  I  trust  all  will 
go  well.  Sooner  or  later  I  will  solve  all  these  problems 
which  are  now  so  tantalizing ;  but,  come  what  may,  one 
good  thing  is  in  store  for  me.     I  shall  see  Helena  to-night !  " 

A  wave  of  sleep  seemed  to  roll  over  his  weary  brain,  now 
relaxed  from  the  terrible  tension  of  the  previous  night,  and 
he  gradually  sank  into  a  deep  slumber,  with  the  name  of  his 
unseen  goddess  still  on  his  lips. 

Then  he  dreamed  strange  dreams  of  romance,  filled  with 
the  serenity  of  Hellenic  calm,  which  floated  magically 
through  his  brain,  and  made  his  slumber  delightful  with 
forms  of  exquisite  beauty.  He  was  standing  with  Helena 
in  the  temple  of  Athena,  and  together  they  touched  the 
knees  of  the  undying  goddess ;  but  the  face  of  Helena  was 
veiled,  and  he  could  see  but  vaguely  the  perfect  features 
which  had  hitherto  been  so  clear  in  his  dreams.  Again,  they 
were  wandering  like  lovers  beneath  the  serene  Attic  sky, 
beside   the   bright,  gushing   Ilissus,  and   he   strove  to   kiss 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  197 

her,  the  kiss  of  betrothal,  but  she  faded  away  as  did  the 
cloiid-Jiino  ill  the  arms  of  Ixion,  and  a  voice  blown  by  some 
faint  winds  cried,  "  Love,  but  win."  Then  he  was  on  board 
a  galley,  putting  off  from  the  green  shore  towards  the  purple 
mists  of  sea,  and  Helena  was  lying  in  his  arms,  while  the 
Greek  Caliphronas  strove  fiercely  to  snatch  her  from  him. 
Arrows  rattled  on  the  shields  of  his  men,  the  watch-fires 
blazed  on  the  high  mountain  tops,  and  the  air  was  hot  with 
the  flame  of  battle.  In  his  dream  he  saw  the  phantom  of 
himself  lay  down  the  cloudy  Helena,  and  dash  on  the  phan- 
tom Greek  with  a  mighty  sword.  A  strident  cry,  a  flash  as 
of  flame  dividing  the  night,  then  the  phantom  Caliphronas 
vanished,  and  the  galley  was  sailing,  sailing  far  into  the  pur- 
ple night,  while,  clasped  in  each  other's  arms,  Helena  and 
himself  murmured  the  songs  of  love,  until  they  melted 
ghost-like  into  the  misty  splendor  of  the  sinking  sun. 

When  he  awoke,  it  was  quite  dark,  and,  springing  from 
his  couch,  he  hastily  took  his  watch  to  the  window,  and  found 
it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock,  so  his  sleep  had  lasted  over  six 
hours.  Feeling  greatly  refreshed  by  this  rest,  he  bathed  his 
face  and  hands  in  cold  water,  with  the  intention  of  going 
outside  into  the  delicious  night  air.  That  the  moon  was  up 
he  could  see  by  the  doubtful  glimmer  of  her  pale  light,  but, 
the  shadow  of  the  house  being  in  front  of  her,  she  could  not 
be  seen  in  her  full  splendor. 

Wondering  where  he  would  find  Crispin,  and  whether  that 
gentleman  was  yet  awake,  Maurice  stole  quietly  from  his 
room,  and,  drawing  aside  the  curtains,  looked  out  into  the 
middle  court,  where  he  saw  a  sight  which  chained  him  to  the 
earth.  Not  Paris  sitting  in  judgment  on  Mount  Ida  saw 
such  a  vision  of  loveliness  as  now  appeared  to  the  enraptured 
eyes  of  Roylands.  The  picture  —  ah,  that  was  but  a  pale 
reflection  of  this  rich,  ripe,  glowing  beauty !  Venus,  the 
goddess  of  love  herself,  yet  with  a  touch  of  the  chaste 
purity  of  Artemis  —  not  Venus  Pandemos,  with  flushed  face 
and  wanton  glance,  but  Venus  Urania,  chaste,  cold,  pure,  and 
serene  as  the  moon-huntress  herself. 

The  moon,  hanging  like  a  great  silver  sphere  in  the  darkly 
blue  sky,  shone  serenely  through  the  hypsethral  opening  of 
the  court,  and  in  her  pale  light  the  ranges  of  white  columns 
glimmered  like  faint  ghosts  in  the  doubtful  gloom. 

Like  a  silver  rod  the  fountain's  jet  shot  up  to  meet  her 
kiss,  and  the  splashed  waters  of  the  pool  trembled  restlessly 
with  faint  flashes  within  the  marble  marge.     The  cold,  sweet 


198  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

odors  of  the  flowers  made  the  night  air  drowsy  with  their 
perfumes,  and  a  distant  nightingale  began  to  trill  deliciously 
in  the  still  beauty  of  the  evening.  But  the  onlooker  saw 
not  the  moon,  the  fountain,  or  the  solemn  range  of  pillars ; 
he  had  no  ears  for  the  liquid  notes  of  the  unseen  bird ;  for 
his  eyes  were  fixed  in  an  enamoured  gaze  on  a  tall,  beautiful 
woman,  who  stood  with  upturned  face  gazing  at  the  sky. 

In  that  tremulous  light  she  looked  more  than  mortal  in 
her  spiritual  loveliness — some  goddess  of  ancient  Hellas 
once  more  visiting  the  dear-loved  islands  of  the  ^gean  — 
perchance  Aphrodite  herself,  haunting  the  fane  of  her  hus- 
band Hephaistos.  To  add  to  the  plausibility  of  this  fantas- 
tic idea,  this  girl  was  draped  in  the  long  white  chiton  of 
antique  times,  and  her  golden  hair,  dressed  after  the  fashion 
of  the  Venus  of  Cnidos,  was  bound  with  triple  bands  of  sil- 
ver, while  her  slender  arms,  bare  to  the  shoulder,  were  devoid 
of  any  ornament.  So  fair,  so  pure,  so  ethereal  she  appeared, 
that  Maurice  might  well  be  pardoned  for  deeming  her  some 
pale  sweet  spirit  of  classic  times,  haunting  the  scenes  of  her 
former  life,  and  listening,  as  she  had  done  in  the  past,  to  the 
golden  notes  of  the  divine  nightingale,  thrilling  to  ecstasy 
the  heart  of  the  dusk. 

For  a  few  minutes  Maurice  stood  spellbound  in  the  con- 
templation of  this  lovely  incarnation  of  Venus  Urania,  then 
inadvertently  made  a  movement  which  made  the  girl  start 
from  her  rapt  attitude,  and  look  in  his  direction.  Being  thus 
discovered,  he  came  forward  to  meet  the  awakened  divinity, 
looking  himself,  in  his  sweeping  robe,  like  some  young 
disciple  of  Plato  or  Parmenides.  To  his  surprise  and  de- 
light, this  beautiful  woman,  with  a  smile  on  her  exquisite 
face,  came  forward  to  meet  him  half-way  with  outstretched 
hands. 

'•  You  are  Mr.  Eoylands,"  she  said  in  English,  with  a  deli- 
cate sweetness  in  her  voice  that  seemed  to  shame  the  notes 
of  the  nightingale,  at  least,  Maurice  thought  so  ;  but  then, 
in  his  amazement,  he  was  scarcely  capable  of  cool  reflection. 

"Yes,  I  am  Maurice  Eoylands,"  he  replied,  taking  both 
her  outstretched  hands  within  his  own;  "and  you  are 
Helena." 

"  I  am  Helena,"  she  repeated  gravely,  drawing  him  a  little 
to  the  left,  so  that  the  moonlight  fell  on  his  face.  "  You 
can  have  no  idea  how  anxious  I  was  to  see  you,  Mr.  Eoy- 
lands.    I  do  so  love  to  see  one  of  my  countrymen." 

"  Are  you  English  ?  " 


THE   ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  199 

"  Yes/'  said  Helena  proudly,  dropping  his  hands,  much  to 
his  regret ;  "  my  father  is  English,  so  I  am  also,  although 
my  mother  was  a  Greek.  Still,  I  liave  spoken  your  language 
all  my  life,  and  have  been  brought  up  like  an  English  girl, 
so  I  must  be  English." 

She  spoke  in  a  tone  of  such  conviction  that  Maurice 
began  to  laugh,  in  which  merriment  she  joined  freely. 

"  My  father  would  not  tell  me  anything  about  you,"  she 
resumed  gayly ;  "and  as  you  are  the  first  Englishman  that 
has  come  to  Melnos,  I  was  anxious  to  see  what  you  were 
like." 

"  I  hope  3^our  anxiety  has  been  repaid,"  observed  Maurice, 
with  a  smile. 

"  Oh,  indeed  it  has.  You  are  very  good-looking,  especially 
when  you  smile." 

Eoy lands  was  rather  taken  aback  by  this  naivete,  and, 
being  unaccustomed  to  such  direct  compliments,  blushed  like 
a  girl,  much  to  the  amusement  of  Helena,  who  stood  looking 
at  him  with  clear,  truthful  eyes. 

"  Do  you  not  like  me  saying  that  ? "  she  observed  inno- 
cently. "  Andros  always  likes  to  be  told  he's  good-looking." 
"  Well,  I  am  not  so  conceited  as  Andros  —  at  least,  I  trust 
I  am  not,"  answered  Maurice,  quite  touched  by  her  rustic 
innocence;  "but,  you  know,  ladies  in  England  do  not  speak 
so  —  so  —  very  plainly." 

"'  Do  they  not  ?  Why,  do  they  tell  their  friends  they  are 
ugly?"_ 

Maurice  roared  in  spite  of  her  presence,  upon  which  she 
looked  at  him  rather  reproachfully. 

"  It  is  too  bad  of  you  to  laugh  at  me,  Mr.  Eoylands,"  she 
said  pettishly  ;  "  you  can't  expect  me  to  be  like  an  English 
lady  after  living  all  my  life  at  Melnos." 

"  You  are  much  more  charming  than  any  English  lady  I 
know." 

A  charming  smile  dimpled  the  corners  of  her  mouth. 
"  Really  !     Ah,  I  see  it  is  the  custom  for  the  gentlemen  to 
pay  compliments  to  the  ladies,  not  the  other  way  about.     I 
must  not  tell  you  you  are  good-looking,  but  it  is  quite  proper 
for  you  to  say  I  am  charming." 

"  Well  —  that  is  —  really,  you  know,  I  hardly  know  what 
to  say,"  said  Maurice,  finding  himself  somewhat  in  a  dilemma. 
"  The  fact  is,  neither  English  men  nor  women  pay  each  other 
compliments  at  all  —  at  least,  it's  not  supposed  to  be  good 
form." 


200  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  What  is  good  form  ?  "  asked  Helena  innocently. 

"  I  must  undertake  your  education,  Miss  Justinian." 

"  I  am  not  Miss  Justinian.     You  must  call  me  Helena." 

"  Oh,  is  that  so  ?  then  you  must  know,  Helena,  I  am  not 
Mr.  Eoy lands  —  you  must  call  me  Maurice." 

''  Maurice  !  ]\Iaurice  !  Ah,  that  is  much  nicer  to  say  than 
Mr.  Roylands.  Yes,  I  will  call  you  Maurice.  I  like  Mau- 
rice," she  continued  reflectively ;  "  yes,  I  like  Maurice." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  like  me,"  he  said  artfully. 

"  Oh,  I  mean  the  name,"  replied  Helena,  laughing  at  what 
she  thought  was  his  mistake.  "But  tell  me,  Maurice,  do 
you  now  feel  quite  well  ?  " 

"Yes,  thank  you.  The  sleep  of  this  afternoon  has  quite 
cured  my  fatigues  of  last  night.'^ 

"  Oh,  it  must  have  been  terrible ! "  said  Helena,  with  a 
shudder ;  "  papa  told  me  all  about  it.  I  was  so  glad  when 
Andros  told  us  of  3-our  safety." 

"  My  safety,  or  that  of  Crispin  ?  " 

"  I  was  glad  for  both  your  sakes,  and  indeed  I  am  very 
fond  of  Crispin.  Y^ou  know,  we  are  just  like  brother  and 
sister." 

"  Are  you  ?     Well,  will  we  be  brother  and  sister  ?  " 

"Oh  yes,"  she  answered,  frankly  putting  her  hand  into 
his ;  "  I  will  be  very  glad  to  have  another  brother." 

Maurice  felt  a  trifle  disappointed  at  this  calm  acquiescence 
in  his  audacious  proposal,  but,  finding  her  little  hand  within 
his  own,  clasped  it  warmly  ;  whereupon  she  suddenly  seemed 
to  feel  a  touch  of  maiden  modesty,  and  withdrew  her  hand, 
blushing  shyly.  Certainly  she  was  the  most  ingenuous, 
delightful  woman  in  the  world,  and  Maurice  was  quite  fas- 
cinated by  this  timid  audacity,  which  was  so  different  from 
the  artificial  modesty  of  many  girls  he  had  met.  She  was 
Undine  without  a  soul,  she  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  life 
in  any  way  whatsoever,  yet,  like  some  gentle  wild  thing,  she 
started  back  with  an  instinct  of  caution  when  his  touch  thrilled 
her  virgin  soul  with  a  deeper  feeling  than  friendship.  Both  of 
them  felt  tongue-tied  and  awkward,  Helena  at  the  strange, 
unexpected  feeling  which  made  her  heart  beat  and  her 
cheek  burn,  Maurice  with  regret  for  having  even  uncon- 
sciously permitted  his  touch  to  convey  anything  further  than 
the  brotherly  friendship  of  a  man  for  a  pure  young  woman. 

Fortunately  for  them  both,  Crispin,  alert  and  cheery, 
entered  the  court  with  Justinian,  and  they  came  towards  the 
couple  with  careless  unconsciousness.     Justinian,  indeed,  did 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  201 

cast  a  rapid  glance  at  the  flushed  faces  of  the  pair,  which 
betrayed  their  late  emotion,  but,  far  from  being  angry,  an 
imperceptible  smile  passed  over  his  lips,  as  if  he  were  quite 
satisfied  that  this  should  be  so. 

"  Helena !  "  said  Crispin,  coming  forward  and  kissing  her 
hand  ;  "  I  am  so  delighted  to  see  you  again  !  You  are  more 
lovely  than  ever." 

"  Maurice  says  English  gentlemen  do  not  pay  ladies  compli- 
ments." 

''  Don't  they  ?  "  answered  Crispin  humorously.  "  My  dear 
Maurice,  that  storm  last  night  must  have  destroyed  your 
memory.     So  you  two  have  met  ?  " 

'-  Quite  unexpectedly,"  declared  Maurice  hastily.  "  I  came 
to  look  for  you,  Crispin,  and,  glancing  into  this  court,  I  saw 
Helena,  so  we  have  been  talking  ever  since." 

"  And  Maurice  has  been  telling  me  about  England,"_  said 
Helena,  clapping  her  hands  together  with  a  burst  of  girlish 
laughter,  delicious  as  the  carol  of  a  thrush. 

"  Maurice  !  Helena ! "  repeated  Justinian,  smiling. 
"Eeally,  you  young  people  are  getting  on  very  well  to- 
gether." .        T^      ,       ,    „ 

"  Your  daughter  had  some  difficulty  in  saying  Roylands," 
said  Maurice  apologetically. 

"  And  you  do  not  know  Helena's  other  name,  eh  ?  " 

"  What  is  her  other  name,  sir  ?  If  you  don't  like  me  to 
call  her  Helena,  shall  I  say  Miss"  — 

"  You  can  say  Helena,"  answered  Justinian  shortly  ;  "  she 
has  no  other  name." 

"No;  we  are  simple  people  here,"  observed  Crispin  mis- 
chievously, "  and  dispense  with  such  cumbersomeness  as  two 
names  ;  —  Justinian,  Helena,  Crispin,  Andros  ;  so  you,  Roy- 
lands,  will  drop  your  harsh  English  surname,  and  be  hence- 
forth known  as  Maurice." 

"  I  am  quite  content  to  be  so  as  long  as  Helena  speaks  the 
name  ! " 

"Another  compliment!"  laughed  Crispin  gayly ;  ['I 
thought,  according  to  you,  gentlemen  never  paid  ladies 
compliments  ?  " 

"  This  is  the  exception  to  prove  the  rule." 

"  Helena,"  said  her  father  suddenly,  "  where  is  Andros  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know.  He  was  here  an  hour  ago,  and  said  he 
would  be  back  to  supper." 

"  It  is  supper-time  now,"  said  Justinian,  moving  towards 
the  side  entrance.  "You  must  be  hungry,  gentlemen.  I 
trust  you  feel  quite  recovered  ?  '^ 


202  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  Speaking  for  myself,  I  do,"  answered  Maurice  briglitly  •, 
"  that  sleep  has  quite  set  me  up.     And  Crispin  "  — 

"  Subscribes  to  all  you  have  said,  and  feels  as  hungry  as  a 
hunter." 

"  Hark !  there  is  Andros,"  observed  Helena,  placing  one 
white  linger  on  her  lips,  in  which  attitude  she  looked  like 
some  exquisite  statue  of  Silence  ;  "  do  you  hear  him  sing- 
ing?" 

"  The  rose  is  shedding  its  crimson  leaves, 
Sadly  they  fall  at  the  caress  of  Zephyrus; 
And  I,  O  beloved,  shed  tears  in  plenty, 
Feeling  thy  kiss  on  my  mouth; 
For  I  must  lose  thee  —  ah,  I  must  lose  thee  ! 
Another  richer  than  I  desires  to  wed  thee, 
Therefore  do  I  shed  tears,  as  the  rose  sheds  her  crimson  petals." 

"  An  omen !  "  breathed  Justinian  under  his  breath,  as  the 
Greek  drew  aside  the  curtain  of  the  main  entrance ;  ''he  will 
not  marry  Helena  !  " 

Against  the  dark  draperies  veiling  the  archway  the  slender 
figure  of  the  handsome  Greek  stood  out  in  bold  relief.  He 
also  had  assumed  a  robe  of  white,  and,  with  his  clear-cut 
features  and  graceful  pose,  looked  the  incarnation  of  that 
delicate  Greek  adolescence  whereof  Pindar  sings  in  his 
Olympian  Odes.  As  he  caught  sight  of  Maurice  standing 
near  Helena,  he  frowned  perceptibly,  and  advanced  hastily, 
as  if  to  come  between  them,  but,  meeting  the  keen,  significant 
look  of  Justinian,  he  faltered  in  his  hasty  step,  and  broke 
into  a  charming  smile. 

"  Are  you  waiting  for  me  ?  "  he  said  cheerfully,  as  they  all 
went  to  have  supper.  "I  have  been  down  in  the  valley 
speaking  to  your  sailors." 

"  Are  they  all  right  ?  "  asked  Crispin  anxiously,  for  care- 
lessly gay  though  he  seemed  to  be,  he  was  terribly  dis- 
turbed at  the  loss  of  so  many  lives  in  the  storm. 

"  Oh,  they  are  quite  happy.  All  your  subjects,  Justinian, 
are  making  heroes  of  them,  especially  the  women,  much  to 
the  dismay  of  the  men  of  Melnos." 

"I  hope  they  won't  be  getting  into  trouble,"  said  Jus- 
tinian, with  a  frown.     "  I  want  no  quarrels  here." 

"  Then  you  had  better  go  and  see  about  them  to-morrow, 
for  if  this  hero-worship  goes  on,  trouble  there  certainly  will 
be." 

"And  doubtless  you  would  be  very  glad  to  see  such 
trouble,"  thought   Justinian   to   himself,  as   he  eyed   Call- 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  203 

phronas  with  a  doubtful  face.  ^'  I  must  lose  no  time  in  put- 
ting things  to  rights.  Trouble  at  this  juncture  would  play 
into  your  hands,  my  friend." 

There  was  a  very  merry  party  that  night,  as  even  Oaii- 
phronas  seemed  to  forget  all  his  jealous  feelings  with  regard 
to  Maurice,  and  lay  himself  out  to  be  entertaining.  _  ihe  stern 
face  of  Justinian  relaxed,  and  Helena,  full  of  girlish  glee,  • 
was  evidently  quite  charmed  with  this  handsome  Englishman 
who  had  arrived  so  unexpectedly  in  Melnos.  As  for  Crispin, 
he  was  very  happy,  for  he  now  began  to  hope  that  Justinian 
would  tell  him  all  he  wanted  to  know,  and  thus  sweep  away 
all  obstacles  to  his  union  with  Eunice.  In  fact,  one  and  aii 
laid  aside  their  secret  cares  and  plans  to  indulge  m  light- 
hearted  merriment  at  the  simple  meal.  Simple  it  was  in 
every  way,  and  yet  infinitely  charming,  consisting  as  it  did 
of  goat's  flesh,  white  bread,  golden  honey,  fresh  cheese ;  and 
for  drink,  that  strong  resinous  Greek  wme,  which  Maurice 
found  so  rich  for  his  i^alate,  that  he  was  fam  to  follow  the 
temperate  example  of  Caliphronas,  and  mingle  it  with  water. 
After  supper  thev  all  went  out  into  the  court,  and  with 
the  exception  of  Caliphronas,  began  to  smoke  Turkish  tobacco 
provided  by  Justinian,  who  was  rather  proud  of  his  Latakia, 
while  Helena,  seating  herself  on  the  marge  of  the  fountain, 
joined  gayly  in  the  trifling  conversation  in  which  all  indulged 
out  of  sheer  light-heartedness.  ^  -    a     f 

At  the  end  of  the  court  a  charcoal  fire  burned  ma  kind  ot 
tripod,  and,  perfumes  being  cast  thereon,  a  thick  white 
smoke  ascended  like  incense  to  the  clear  sky.  Near  this 
stood  Caliphronas,  and  the  red  light  streaming  on  his  statu- 
esque face,  his  white  garb,  made  him  a  very  striking  figure. 
The  other  gentlemen  were  seated  decorously  m  chairs,  and 
the  moon  streaming  down  on  their  snowy  robes,  on  the 
exquisite  upturned  face  of  Helena,  produced  an  effect  quite 
antipathetical  to  their  excessively  modern  conversation. 
Pale  moon,  glittering  stars,  solemn  court,  soaring  incense  ;  — 
they  should  have  been  a  company  of  philosophers  talking  of 
the  destiny  of  the  soul,  of  the  sacred  festivals,  and  unseen 
deities ;  but,  by  the  law  of  contrast,  they  talked  nothing  but 
frivolity,  and  laughed  at  their  own  light  badinage  ;  Helena  s 
j^irlish  laugh  ringing  clear  above  the  deep  tones  of  the  men. 
"^  "  I  was  wrong,"  said  Maurice  to  himself,  as  he  watched 
this  perfect  girlish  picture  ;  "  she  is  not  Venus,  but  Nausicaa, 
and  I  am  a  modern  Ulysses  at  the  court  of  Alcinous."  _ 
"  Are  you  worshipping  at  the  altar  of  Vulcan,  Caliphro- 


204  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

nas  ?  ^'  called  out  Crispin  to  the  Greek,  who   stood   almost 
veiled  in  the  clouds  of  incense. 

"  No,"  said  Caliphronas,  walking  forward  in  his  stately- 
fashion  ;  '•  I  have  no  love  for  the  swarthy  god  of  the  Cyclops. 
For  me,  Venus." 

"  Pandemos  ! " 

"  Or  Urania,  I  care  not  which,  provided  the  goddess  is 
herself,"  replied  the  Greek  coolly.  "Ah,  we  all  worship  v 
those  old  pagan  gods,  who  were  but  the  incarnation  of  our 
own  desires.  You,  Crispin,  bow  to  Apollo ;  Mr.  ^Maurice, 
you  adore  the  Muse  of  Sculpture,  of  whose  name  I  am  igno- 
rant ;  and  Justinian  loves  the  supreme  Zeus,  who  gives  power 
and  dominion." 

"'  And  I  ?  "  asked  Helena  gayly ;  "  whom  do  I  worship, 
Andros  ?  " 

"  The  inviolate  Artemis  !  " 

"  There's  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  what  you  say,"  observed 
Justinian  serenely  ;  "  but  I  should  have  thought  your  deity- 
was  Hermes." 

The  remark  was  so  pointed  that  Caliphronas  winced,  but 
at  once  smiled  gayly  and  replied  in  the  same  vein,  — 

"  Venus  and  Hermes  —  Love  and  Trickery  !  Well,  doubt- 
less the  one  helps  the  other." 

"  Such  aid  is  not  always  effectual,"  said  Justinian  signifi- 
cantly, whereat  the  Greek  shrugged  his  shoulders,  but  made 
no  reply. 

"'  Well,  for  my  part,"  observed  Helena  reflectively,  "  I  do 
not  worship  Artemis  so  much  as  I  do  Demeter.  There  is 
something  grand  about  the  earth  goddess  who  causes  the 
earth  to  break  into  the  glory  of  flowers." 

"  I  think  she  must  have  been  here,"  said  Maurice,  looking 
round  at  the  profusion  of  flowers. 

"  Ah,  these  are  all  my  treasures,  Maurice.  I  adore  flowers, 
and  there  is  not  a  nook  in  Melnos  where  I  have  not  hunted 
for  blossoms.  Yes,  even  up  to  the  verge  of  the  snows, 
where  grow  tiny  saxifragas.  Wait  till  you  see  our  harvest 
—  our  vintage  —  then  you  will  see  Mother  Demeter  in  her 
glory." 

"  Do  you  celebrate  those  festivals?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Justinian  quickly  ;  "  I  keep  up  all  the  old 
Greek  customs,  though,  of  course,  I  adapt  them  to  the  needs 
of  my  people.  The  Bacchanalia  of  Melnos  do  not  include 
the  debauchery  of  Athens,  nor  are  the  Anthesphoria  any- 
thing more  than  innocent  flower  festivals," 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  206 

"In  honor  of  Proserpina,"  exclaimed  Helena  gayly. 
"Crispin,  do  you  remember  the  Flower  Hymn  to  Demeter 
you  wrote  long  ago  ?  " 

"  Yes,  very  well ;  but  I'm  afraid  my  poems  were  very  bad 
in  those  days.     Can  you  remember  it  ?  " 

"  Of  course;  but  not  in  Greek,  in  English,  I  translated  it 
myself." 

"Sing  it,  Helena,"  said  her  father,  and  his  request  was 
eagerly  seconded  by  the  whole  company,  especially  by 
Maurice,  who  was  anxious  to  hear  a  voice  which  he  was  sure 
would  outvie  the  nightingale. 

Helena  clasped  her  hands  round  her  knees,  and,  lifting  up 
her  face  to  the  stars,  began  to  sing  in  a  clear,  sweet  voice, 
which,  though  entirely  untrained,  had  a  trill  in  it  like  the 
liquid  notes  of  a  bird. 


"  Wild  roses  red  as  dawn 

When  nymphs  awaken, 
Frail  lilies  white  and  wan 

As  love  forsaken. 
With  primrose  pale  and  daffodil, 
Forget-me-nots  from  hidden  rill, 

And  blossoms  shaken 
By  wintry  breezes  thin  and  chill, 
From  orchards  on  the  distant  hill, 
With  flowerets  richer,  rarer  still, 

From  thy  breast  taken,  — 

II. 

"  Brave  marigolds  who  in  the  fields 

Outstay  the  swallow, 
Sunflowers  whose  burning  shields 

Do  eye  Apollo, 
With  pansies  dark  as  honeyed  wine, 
And  reeds  beloved  by  Pan  divine 

For  pipings  hollow; 
Wild  olive,  laurel,  scented  pine, 
All  these  I  offer  at  thy  shrine, 
If  thou  wilt  smile  on  me  and  mine, 

And  blessings  follow." 

When  her  sweet  voice  died  away,  an  emulous  nightingale 
began  to  sing  as  if  in  rivalry,  and  Helena  burst  out  into  girl- 
ish laughter. 

"  Do  you  like  my  translation,  Crispin  ?  " 

"  It  is  charming  —  much  better  than  the  words," 


206  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

^-  No,  indeed  ! "  said  Maurice,  who  was  enchanted  with  the 
song  and  the  singer ;  "  as  Wordsworth  would  say,  it  is  a  very 
pretty  piece  of  paganism." 

"  Oh,  that  faint  praise  is  worse  than  blame." 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  said  Justinian,  rising  from  his  seat,  "  I 
am  going  to  retire  to  rest,  as  I  cannot  do  without  my  sleep. 
Old  age  is  not  like  youth,  you  know.     Helena !  " 

"I  am  going,  father,"  she  cried,  springing  to  her  feet. 
"  Good-night,  Andros  —  Crispin  !  good-night,  Maurice ! " 

" '  Good-night,  and  sweet  dreams  be  thine/  "  murmured 
Maurice  from  some  poet. 

Their  departure  was  a  sign  of  breaking  up,  for  Caliphronas, 
not  feeling  inclined  for  a  conversation  with  two  men  he  dis- 
liked so  much,  went  off  immediately ;  and  after  they  had 
finished  a  last  pipe,  Maurice  and  Crispin  sought  their  repose. 

"  Well,"  said  Crispin,  as  they  parted,  "  what  do  you  think 
of  Helena?" 

"  Think  of  her  !  "  echoed  Maurice  in  an  indescribable  tone. 
"  That  she  is  simply  perfection,  far  above  what  you  told  me. 
If  your  poetry  is  not  better  than  your  description,  Crispin,  it 
must  be  poor  stuff." 

"You  are  bewitched,  Maurice.  Beware  the  spells  of 
Circe." 

"  Circe !  No  !  she  is  no  malignant  enchantress,  but  a  beau- 
tiful girlish  angel." 

"  Nausicaa  ! "  said  Crispin  gayly,  and  went  off  to  bed. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  207 

CHAPTER   XIX. 

A    MODERN    ARCADIA. 

Courage,  my  poet! 

The  age  of  iron  is  not  yet  supreme, 

For  youth  still  throbs  in  the  old  veins  of  Mother  Earth,  wan  and  weary 
with  sorrowful  centuries. 

Tho'  girdled  our  world  by  wires  multitudinous  transmitting  the  swift  mes- 
sage of  electricity ; 

Tho'  the  straight  and  curved  lines  of  the  railway  run  parallel  along  the 
immensity  of  continents  for  the  advancement  of  culture  ; 

Tho'  ships,  steam-driven,  even  against  storms,  plough  the  waters  of  perilous 
oceans; — 

Yet  somewhere  beyond  the  confines  of  our  selfish  civilization 

There  lies  an  Arcadia  among  the  lone  mountains,  or  perchance  encircled 
by  tideless  seas, 

"Wherein  dwell  delicate  beings  who  know  not  ambition  or  avarice, 

And  work  but  for  bread  —  for  bread  alone,  tempering  such  toil  with  singing 
melodious,  and  merry  pipings  at  sundown. 

Therefore,  courage,  my  poet ! 

They  were  early  risers  in  Melnos,  for  in  that  invigorating 
climate  it  was  impossible,  even  for  the  most  indolent,  to  lie 
sluggishly  in  bed,  and  the  sun  was  hardly  above  the  eastern 
horizon  before  Justinian,  his  household  and  guests,  were 
seated  at  breakfast.  Helena  was  not  present,  having  already 
gone  out  in  the  deliciously  fresh  morning  air  on  some  expe- 
dition connected  with  flowers ;  so  the  meal  was  a  strictly 
masculine  one,  and  the  four  men  made  their  plans  for  the 
day.  Crispin  and  Caliphronas  decided  to  remain  at  the 
Acropolis,  as  they  were  already  well  acquainted  with  the  lions 
of  the  island,  the  one  to  write  letters,  the  other  to  await 
the  return  of  Helena,  over  whose  movements  he  kept  watch 
with  all  the  jealous  solicitude  of  a  doubtful  lover;  and  Mau- 
rice, in  company  of  Justinian,  went  down  to  the  valley,  in 
order  that  the  Englishman  might  be  shown  all  the  wonders 
of  this  unique  place. 

The  white  indoor  robes  of  the  previous  evening  were  now 
discarded  in  favor  of  a  serviceable  costume  similar  to  that 
worn  by  the  rough  Cretan  mountaineers,  —  long  boots  of 
brown  leather,  loose  blue  trousers  thrust  therein  at  the 
knees,  a  red  sash,  white  shirt  of  wool,  and  blue  jackets, 
together  with  a  flowing  capote  and  hood  to  cover  the  head 
when  the  sun  grew  unpleasantly  strong.  Justinian  wore  a 
red  fisherman's  cap  with  a  gold  tassel  on  his  white  locks,  but 
Maurice  was  supplied  with  a  large  gray  felt  sombrero,  the 


208  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

shade  of  which  was  very  grateful.  The  island  king  looked 
truly  regal  in  this  picturesque  dress,  with  his  long  gray 
beard,  his  sun-tanned  skin,  tierce  black  eyes,  and  reverend 
locks ;  lithe  and  active  as  a  young  man,  he  carried  his  burden 
of  sixty-live  years  with  the  greatest  of  ease,  and  as  he  walked 
beside  Maurice,  with  a  light  springy  step,  the  sculptor  began 
to  think  that  his  companion  must  have  discovered  the  secret 
of  perpetual  youth. 

They  walked  leisurely  along  the  mulberry  avenue,  in  the 
direction  of  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel,  and  enjoyed  the  ex- 
quisite coolness  of  the  morning,  for  the  sun  was  not  yet  over 
the  shoulder  of  the  mountain,  and  the  cup  was  still  in  com- 
parative shadow.  Notwithstanding  this,  however,  the  air 
was  warm,  and  balmy  with  the  scent  of  aromatic  herbs, 
which  delightful  temperature  rather  puzzled  Maurice,  as  it 
did  not  agree  with  the  marked  absence  of  sunlight  for  a 
greater  part  of  the  morning,  and  he  mentioned  this  to 
Justinian. 

''Certainly  we  do  not  get  much  of  the  sun  in  the  morning 
owing  to  the  mountain,"  answered  the  old  man,  stroking  his 
silver  beard ;  "  but  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  most  of  the 
afternoon,  his  beams  are  very  powerful,  for  at  noon  he  is 
right  above  our  heads,  and  the  western  side  of  the  Melnos 
Peak  is  so  low,  that  until  near  sunset  his  rays  stream  on  the 
valley." 

He  pointed  to  the  west,  and  Maurice  saw  that  the  high 
peaks  fell  away  into  a  kind  of  low  semicircle,  which  enabled 
them,  from  their  position,  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  blue  sea  and 
distant  island.  On  each  side  of  this  gap,  however,  the  jag- 
ged summits  stood  up  stern,  rigid,  and  snow-clad  against  the 
delicately  blue  sky,  girding  the  valley  at  the  same  height  all 
round,  save  at  the  western  side  before  mentioned. 

"Still,"  said  Maurice  pertinenth^,  ••the  sun  is  still  below 
the  eastern  side  of  the  mountain,  yet  the  air  is  quite  warm." 

"  Cannot  the  temple  to  Hephaistos  solve  the  riddle  ?  " 

"Oh,  you  mean  that  the  island  is  volcanic ! " 

"  Yes ;  this  is  the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano,  extinct  for 
thousands  of  years,  for  even  when  the  temple  was  built,  the 
fires  must  have  died  out,  or  its  builders  could  hardl}^  have 
placed  it  on  the  inner  side  of  the  crater.  It  is  the  volcanic 
character  of  Melnos  that  makes  it  so  warm  and  fertile.  You 
see  the  slopes  are  covered  with  corn,  vine,  olive,  in  profusion, 
while  dates,  lemons,  orange-trees,  citrons,  and  all  such  deli- 
cate plants  grow  wild  without  cultivation.  This  valley  is  the 
veritable  Horn  of  Plenty  so  lauded  by  the  Hellenes." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  209 

"If  we  are  to  believe  the  ancient  historians,"  said  Maurice 
gravely,  as  he  looked  at  the  fertile  sides  of  the  mountain  so 
admirably  cultivated,  "this  was  also  the  case  with  the  crater 
of  Vesuvius,  yet  it  proved  to  be  still  active." 

"  What !  do  you  think  Melnos  will  break  out  again  ? " 
observed  Justinian,  with  a  shade  of  thought  on  his  fine  face. 
"  Indeed  we  have  earthquakes  occasionally,  but  not  much  to 
speak  of.  I  fancy  the  islands  of  the  north  are  more  of  a 
volcanic  centre  than  these ;  still  the  volcano  may  break  out 
again  —  in  that  case  I  am  afraid  all  my  work  will  go  for 
nothing." 

"  Is  this  island  entirely  your  work  ?  " 

"Every  bit  of  it,"  answered  the  old  man  emphatically. 
"  Forty  years  ago,  I  came  into  these  waters  to  look  for  this 
extinct  volcanic  island,  of  which  I  had  received  full  informa- 
tion from  a  wandering  Greek,  who  knew  Melnos  well.  I 
duly  sighted  it,  and,  having  landed,  I  climbed  up  to  the  sum- 
mit, when  I  discovered  this  enchanting  valley,  also  the 
Temple  of  Hephaistos  still  in  a  tolerably  good  state  of  j^res- 
ervation.  I  had  left  England  smarting  under  a  sense  of 
injury,  from — from  —  well,  it  was  about  a  woman;  and  I 
swore  never  to  return  to  it.  Always  of  an  uncivilized  dispo- 
sition, I  determined  to  fix  my  home  here,  and,  being  pos- 
sessed of  plenty  of  money,  I  bought  this  island  of  the 
Turkish  Government  at  a  pretty  heavy  price.  They  were 
anxious  for  money,  especially  as  it  was  after  the  Greek  War 
of  Independence,  which  had  emptied  the  coffers  of  the  Sub- 
lime Porte ;  besides  which,  the  Ottomans  did  not  care  about 
this  barren  rock,  which  was  of  no  use  to  them  in  any  way  ; 
so  I  bought  it,  and  settled  in  the  old  temple,  where  I  have 
now  dwelt  for  forty  long  years." 

"  But  this  community  —  the  tunnel  ?  " 

"  All  my  works  !  I  have,  so  to  speak,  carried  out  the  pro- 
jects of  Goethe's  Faust.  Ah,  you  are  astonished  at  ray  re- 
ferring to  that,  but  I  am  a  University  man,  Mr.  Roylands, 
and  have  not  yet  forgotten  my  learning.  Et  ego  in  Arcadia 
fui,  and  know  the  ancient  colleges  of  Cambridge,  the  oozy 
Cam,  and  the  delights  of  a  town  and  gown  row." 

"  You  have  had  a  strange  career." 

"  A  very  happy  one  at  all  events.  It  was  fortunate  my 
superabundant  energy  found  vent  in  the  direction  of  making 
this  island  blossom  like  a  rose,  otherwise  I  would  have  re- 
mained a  restless  adventurer  to  the  end  of  my  days.  I  could 
not  settle  down  to  the  placid  life  of  an  English  gentleman ; 


210  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

I  wanted  room  to  breathe,  opportunities  for  daring,  work  — 
gigantic  work  —  to  do;  and  I  found  them  all  in  Melnos." 

'•  You  have  carried  out  your  self-imposed  task  nobly," 

"■  I  am  glad  you  think  so.  Yes ;  I  trust  I  have  been  of 
some  use  in  my  generation.  And,  at  all  events,  I  have 
erected  one  thoroughly  happy,  peaceful  spot,  —  a  modern 
Eden,  —  and  that  is  no  easy  thing  to  do  in  this  riotous 
century." 

''  It  is  a  modern  miracle  !  " 

And  it  was  little  else,  seeing  that  all  these  gigantic  works 
had  been  planned  and  carried  out  by  a  solitary  human  being; 
for  by  this  time  they  were  at  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel,  and 
as  Maurice  looked  down  the  enormous  flights  of  red  lime- 
stone steps,  which  led  to  the  valley  below,  he  was  truly 
amazed  at  the  engineering  science  displayed  by  the  man 
beside  him.  Flight  after  flight,  now  to  right,  now  to  left, 
stretched  down  the  gentle  slope  of  the  mountain,  and  these 
mighty  stairs  were  all  carefully  finished  with  heavy  balus- 
trades of  the  same  material,  neatly  joined  together.  At  cer- 
tain platforms,  statues  of  white  marble,  pedestalled  on  red 
blocks,  stood  up  in  proud  beauty,  and,  seeing  his  guest's  eyes 
fixed  on  these  heroic  forms,  Justinian  laughed. 

"  I  am  a  bit  of  an  antiquarian,  Mr.  Roylands,"  he  explained 
as  they  descended,  "  and  all  over  these  islands  I  pay  men 
to  dig  among  ancient  ruins  for  statues,  which  I  do  my  best  to 
restore,  and  then  place  here.  This  Apollo,  for  instance,"  he 
said,  as  they  paused  before  a  life-sized  nude  figure  holding  a 
lyre,  '-was  found  at  Delos  and  brought  to  me.  True,  the 
Greek  Government  claim  all  these  things,  but  I  do  not  see 
why  I  should  not  secure  them  if  possible,  and  I  am  sure  they 
look  better  in  this  enchanted  valley  than  in  some  stuffy 
museum." 

^[aurice,  with  sculptor-like  enthusiasm,  would  fain  have 
lingered  before  this  masterpiece  of  Greek  art,  but  Justinian 
hurried  him  impatiently  away. 

"  You  will  have  plenty  of  time  to  look  at  them  again,"  he 
said  as  they  resumed  their  descent,  "  but  at  present  I  have 
plenty  to  show  you.     I  am  glad  you  like  my  staircase." 

"It  is  wonderful,  but  I  think  the  tunnel  is  still  more 
so." 

"Yes;  it  is  a  fine  piece  of  engineering,"  said  Justinian 
complacently.  "You  see  it  was  impossible  to  constantly 
climb  up  over  the  peaks,  which  involved  waste  of  time,  and 
a  weary  ascent,  so  I  got  an  engineer  from  England,  supplied 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  211 

kirn  with  plenty  of  Greeks,  and  they  finished  that  tunnel  in 
live  years.     I  am  very  proud  of  it,  I  assure  you." 
"  What  about  the  gate  in  the  middle  of  it  ?  " 
'•  That   is    absolutely    necessary,    not    so    much    now    as 
formerly,    but  forty   years   ago  the    .Egean  was    very   law- 
less, and  the   government   could  not  put   down  the  pirates. 
Of  course,   hearing  a  rich  Englishman  had  bought  Melnos, 
these  rascals  thought  it  contained  all  kinds  of  treasures,  and 
have    made    frequent    assaults    on    it.     Fortunately    I    have 
always  managed  to  beat  them  off.     I  think  the  rascals  have 
a  wholesome  dread  of  me  now,"  finished  the  old  man  grimly. 
"  Now  I  suppose  there  is  no  danger  of  any  attack  being 

ITI  n  n  P 

"  lam  not  so  sure  about  that.  King  George's  Government 
is  more  feared  by  these  scamps  than  was  King  Otho's  ;  but, 
though  the  majority  of  them  have  disappeared,  there  are 
still  some  left  who  would  like  to  storm  Melnos." 

"  Alcibiades  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  know  of  Alcibiades  ? "  asked  Justinian 
sharply. 

"  Nothing  more  than  that  he  is  an  equivocal  character. 
Caliphronas  told  me  so  much." 

"  Andros  !  Yes,  he  is  far  too  friendly  with  that  scamp  of 
an  Alcibiades,  who  is  an  excessively  dangerous  man.  I  do 
not  trust  Andros,  and  he  knows  it ;  so,  out  of  sheer  anger, 
he  may  urge  Alcibiades  to  assault  the  island.  An  enemy 
without,  a  traitor  within  —  it  is  very  dangerous." 

'^  If  you  distrust  Caliphronas,  why  don't  you  turn  him 
out  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  proof  against  him  yet,  but  I  fancy  he  has 
some  scheme  in  his  mind.  Believe  me,  Mr.  Roylands,  if  you 
have  a  stomach  for  fighting,  I  fancy  there  will  be  plenty  of 
opportunity  for  you  to  indulge  in  it  shortly." 

"  Oh,  as  for  that,  I  should  like  nothing  better  ?  " 

"  I  like  that,"  said  Justinian  decisively ;  "  you  are  a  true 
Roylands  ! " 

''  I  trust  so.  But  how  do  you  know  the  Eoylands  are  a 
fighting  family  ?  " 

"  All  Englishmen  fight,  more  or  less,"  answered  Justinian 
carelessly ;  "  besides  your  name  is  a  Norman  one,  and 
descendants  of  William  the  Conqueror's  vassals  are  always 
soldiers.  Hitherto  you  have  led  a  quiet  and  peaceful  life, 
but  if  we  do  have  an  island  war,  I  don't  think  you  will  be 
the  last  to  help  me  defend  my  kingdom." 


212  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  You  can  rely  on  that  —  nor  Crispin  either  ! '' 

"  Oh,  Crispin  !  "  replied  Justinian,  a  trifle  disdainfully ; 
''  he  is  too  much  a  man  of  peace  to  suit  my  fancy.  But  here 
we  are  at  the  village." 

^•By  the  way,  how  did  you  populate  this  new  Eome  of 
yours?" 

"  Oh,  in  the  old  days  I  was  rather  a  celebrity  in  the  islands, 
—  a  kind  of  insular  Lord  Byron,  —  and  of  course  had  my 
followers.  When  I  settled  here,  I  made  all  my  followers 
come  also,  and  admitted  none  but  young  men.  They  brought 
their  sweethearts  and  wives,  so  gradually  the  community 
grew  up  here.  Recruits  come  from  time  to  time,  but  I 
admit  none  but  those  who  are  physically  perfect  and  passably 
moral.  We  now  number,  with  women  and  children,  two 
hundred  souls,  and  you  will  not  find  a  deformed  or  lame  per- 
son among  the  lot." 

"  Then  you  have  no  old  people  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes.  I  am  old  myself,  and  many  of  my  followers  are 
of  the  same  age.  We  were  all  young  men  in  those  days  of 
colonization,  but  now  age  has  come  upon  us,  as  you  see. 
Some  of  my  old  comrades  have  died,  but  many  are  well  and 
hearty,  thanks  to  the  salubrity  of  this  climate.  They  are  the 
sages  of  the  village." 

"  Local  rulers,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  No,"  retorted  Justinian,  with  fiery  earnestness ;  "  there 
is  only  one  ruler  in  Melnos  —  myself." 

They  were  now  walking  down  the  principal  street  of  the 
village,  a  broad  thoroughfare,  running  between  two  rows  of 
red  limestone  houses,  from  the  foot  of  the  grand  staircase  to 
the  blue  lake,  the  distance  in  all  being  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  On  each  side,  between  the  pathways  and  the  road  itself, 
ran  two  lines  of  elm  trees,  the  foliage  of  which  formed  a 
pleasant  shade,  while  the  houses,  built  in  a  tropical  fashion, 
with  wide  verandas,  were  gay  with  flowers.  Helena  had  evi- 
dently inoculated  her  father's  subjects  with  a  love  for  flowers, 
as  on  every  side  the  eye  was  dazzled  with  a  profusion  of  bright 
tints.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  street  was  a  wide  semicircle, 
facing  the  lake,  and  planted  with  lines  of  beech,  elm,  and 
plane  trees,  while  in  the  middle  of  this  pleasantness  stood  a 
tall  pedestal  of  white  marble,  bearing  a  huge  bronze  Zeus, 
seated  half-draped,  with  thunderbolt  and  eagle  beside  him. 
Indeed,  the  statues  of  gods  and  goddesses  were  so  frequent, 
that  Maurice  began  to  think  his  eccentric  host,  in  order  to 
complete  his  revival  of  ancient  Athens^  had  re-established 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  213 

the  hierarchy  of  Olympus,  with  himself  as  Pontifex  Maximus. 

Evidently  his  face  betrayed  his  thoughts,  for,  seeing  his  eyes 
ftced  on  the  garlands  decorating  the  base  of  the  statue,  the 
I^ing  laughed  in  an  amused  manner. 

-'  No,  no,  Mr.  Roylands,  we  are  not  pagans,  in  spite  of  the 
presence  of  the  gods,"  he  said,  with  a  smile.  "Allmy 
people  belong  to  the  Orthodox  Church,  and  we  have  a  priest, 
a  sacred  building,  and  everything  necessary  for  such  religion." 

^'  Are  you  also  of  the  Greek  Church  ?  " 

"No,  I  am  no  renegade,"  replied  Justinian  haughtily; 
"but,  at  the  same  time,  I  am  not  what  you  would  call  a 
Christian." 

•'But  I  trust  your  religious  principles  are  not  those  of 
Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  believe  in  working  for  the  good  of  others,  as  you 
can  see.  Morally  speaking,  I  am  what  you  call  an  agnostic, 
though  truly  I  believe  in  a  supreme  power.  I  erect  my  altar 
to  TO*'  uyvuaiov  Geop,  Mr.  Eoylands,  and  strive  to  propitiate 
him  by  helping  my  fellow-creatures." 

The  conversation  now  becoming  rather  delicate  in  its 
trenching  on  religious  beliefs,  Maurice  turned  it  dexterously 
by  remarking  on  the  number  of  mulberry  trees. 

"  Those  are  for  the  silkworms,"  explained  Justinian,  strik- 
ing the  trunk  of  one  of  these  trees  with  his  staff;  "we  export 
a  great  number  of  cocoons,  and  do  a  large  trade  with  the 
mainland.  We  also  weave  silks  for  ourselves  ;  the  factory  is 
to  the  right." 

There  were  a  great  number  of  people  in  the  streets,  all  in 
a  similar  dress  to  their  own  —  that  is,  the  men,  for  the 
women  were  mostly  arrayed  in  the  graceful  Greek  dress  of 
the  Cretans,  which  consisted  of  full  white  trousers  reaching 
to  the  ankle,  brightly  colored  tunics,  embroidered  jackets, 
gaudy  handkerchiefs  twisted  round  the  head,  and  long  white 
veils,  though  the  latter  were  but  assumed  for  festive  occa- 
sions. Both  men  and  women  were  very  fine-looking,  with 
oval  faces,  olive  skins,  somewhat  pointed  chins,  and  aquiline 
noses,  and  their  gait  was  remarkably  graceful,  with  the 
stately  bearing  of  a  free  race.  The  adults  all  saluted  Jus- 
tinian respectfully,  and  he  acknowledged  their  greetings 
with  haughty  condescension,  although  he  unbent  somewhat 
towards  the  children,  who  crowded  round  him  with  cries  of 
"  Kalli  imera  Kyrion  !  " 

"  You  are  as  populous  as  a  hive  of  bees,"  said  Maurice,  as 
they  walked  down  to  the  lake  ;  "  soon  the  island  will  be  too 
small." 


214  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"Not  for  many  years  I  hope  and  trust,"  answered  Jus- 
tinian, casting  a  look  round  at  the  now  sunny  sides  of  thi 
mountain,  which  encircled  them  like  a  cup.  "  There  is 
plenty  of  room  3"et;  for  my  colony,  in  spite  of  its  forty  years, 
is  only  yet  in  its  infancy.  Lots  of  room  yonder  for  dwell- 
ings ;  the  soil  is  fertile,  and  affords  plenty  of  food,  and  as  :o 
necessaries  from  the  outside  world,  we  export  olives,  cocoons, 
silks,  wine,  and  dittany,  receiving  in  return  what  we  require 
from  more  advanced  civilization." 

"  Dittany  !  what  is  that  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  you  don't  know  your  Virgil,  Mr.  Roylar.ds. 
Dittany  is  an  herb  of  rare  medicinal  power,  which  is  found 
in  Crete,  and  also  in  Melnos.  It  is  excellent  for  illness  of 
all  kinds,  especially  fevers,  and  is  as  valued  now  as  it  was  in 
the  days  of  Pliny.  Plenty  of  it  up  in  the  mountain  yonder, 
as  the  goats  are  very  fond  of  it." 

"  Have  you  goats  ?  " 

"  Of  course  !  and  also  sheep,  though  I  am  afraid  the  goats 
are  the  more  numerous.  Indeed,  I  have  imported  here  some 
of  the  rare  Cretan  breed  —  a  kind  of  ibex,  which  grows  to  a 
great  size.  These,  of  course,  I  will  not  allow  to  be  killed ; 
but  for  food  we  have  plenty  of  the  smaller  wild  goats,  such 
as  exist  in  many  places  in  Greece,  particularly  on  the  sum- 
mits of  Olympus.  You  probably  forget  we  had  goat's  flesh 
for  supper  last  night." 

"And  the  lake,  sir?" 

"Artificial  purely." 

"  Sea-water  ?  " 

"  Oh  dear  no.  The  level  of  this  valley  is  considerably 
above  that  of  the  sea.  I  should  be  sorry  were  it  otherwise, 
as,  were  it  lower,  we  might  run  a  chance  of  being  swamped 
by  the  influx  of  waters.  I  am  sure  Alcibiades  and  his  friends 
would  be  delighted  to  drown  us  like  rats  if  they  could.  This 
lake  comes  from  the  snows  yonder." 

"  The  snows  ?  " 

"  Precisely.  I  have  had  a  reservoir  constructed  far  below 
the  snow-line,  and  a  shoot  into  it  from  the  summit  of  the 
mountain.  At  certain  intervals  I  send  men  up,  who  detach 
great  masses  of  snow  and  send  them  down  the  shoot  into  the 
reservoir.  Tliere  the  heat  of  the  sun  soon  melts  them  to 
water,  and  from  thence  the  water  is  taken  down  to  the 
lake." 

"But  water  always  rises  to  its  own  level." 

"  Hence  you  think  my  valley  should  be  an  entire  lake  ;  but 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  215 

there  is  no  danger  of  such  a  catastrophe  happening,  as  my 
reservoir  is  filled  in  a  purely  artificial  manner,  and  I  take 
ca.re  to  keep  it  within  bounds.  The  pipes  also  down  to  this 
lale  are  contrived  so  as  to  regulate  the  influx  of  water,  there- 
fore there  is  no  fear  of  a  flood.  Now  you  must  come  and 
see  the  theatre." 

"  The  theatre  !     Have  you  playwrights  and  actors  here  ?  " 

''Our  playwrights  date  from  old  Hellenic  days,  and  are 
called  ^schylus,  Sophocles,  and  Euripides;  the  actors  are 
my  Greeks.  "  Sometimes  Crispin  writes  us  a  play  bearing  on 
local  events,  which  he  satirizes  after  the  style  of  Aristo- 
phanic  comedy  —  at  least  he  did  so  when  he  lived  here,  but 
since  his  departure  we  have  fallen  back  on  Hellas  for  our 
plays.'' 

"  How  often  do  you  give  performances  ?  " 

"  Only  once  a  year,  at  the  vintage  feast.  Oh,  we  follow 
old  customs  closely  here,  and  I  hope  to  show  you  a  veritable 
Dionysiade  before  you  leave  us.  We  have  a  three  days'  fes- 
tival of  simple  mirth,  without  any  of  the  coarse  elements 
which  were  introduced  by  the  later  Hellenes.  The  first  day 
we  have  the  vintage  festival,  the  second  our  plays,  and  on 
the  third  there  are  Olympian  games." 

"  With  what  prizes  ?  " 

"  As  of  yore,  the  laurel  wreath.  I  am  particularly  anx- 
ious to  keep  up  these  games,  as  it  makes  my  Greeks  athletes, 
and  hardens  them  by  muscular  exercises,  else  in  this  lotus- 
eating  valley  they  would  be  apt  to  become  indolent,  and 
then  where  would  Melnos  be  without  brave  men  to  defend 
her  ?  " 

"  You  are  a  perfect  Spartan  ! " 

"  I  believe  in  the  Spartan  training  to  a  great  extent,  but  I 
do  not  think  the  body  should  be  trained  exclusively  and  the 
mind  neglected;  therefore  I  have  the  tragedies  performed 
which  were  unknown  to  Sparta.  The  Spartans  were  a  fine 
nation  of  materialists." 

"  You  are  right !  "  said  Maurice  earnestly ;  "  one  should 
never  let  the  material  nature  overpower  the  spiritual." 

"  You  speak  warmly." 

"As  I  was  taught.  My  mother  was  a  religious  woman, 
and  trained  me  carefully.  One  cannot  rid  one's  self  of 
youthful  teachings;  we  may  forget  them  for  a  time,  but 
they  always  force  themselves  before  the  mind  sooner  or 
later." 

'^  Kot  always.     I  also  was  taught  as  you,  but  forty  years 


216  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

of  solitude  —  comparative  solitude  —  and  pondering  have 
turned  me  into  what  I  am  —  an  agnostic.  So  your  mother 
was  a  good  woman  ?  is  she  alive  ?  " 

"  No  ;  she  died  many  years  ago." 

"  And  your  father  ?  " 

"  Is  also  dead.  I  am  an  orphan.  No  relations  in  the  world 
—  at  least,  none  I  care  about." 

Justinian  gazed  at  the  young  man  as  if  he  would  read  his 
very  soul,  then,  turning  away  with  a  half-suppressed  sigh, 
entered  the  theatre. 

It  was  modelled  on  that  of  Athens,  —  a  large  semicircle 
hewn  out  of  the  volcanic  rock,  with  seats  of  the  red  lime- 
stone so  frequent  in  Melnos.  The  stage  faced  the  mountain, 
and  had  an  altar  beautifully  sculptured  in  front  of  it,  and 
life-sized  statues  of  Dionysius  and  Phoebus  on  either  side. 

"  This  is  our  Temple  of  Thespis,"  said  Justinian,  as  they 
stood  in  the  centre  of  the  semicircle,  which  was  at  a  moderate 
distance  from  the  stage.  "  You  see  it  is  not  very  large,  and 
suitable  to  the  size  of  the  island  and  the  number  of  popula- 
tion ;  so,  as  the  actors  can  easily  be  seen,  we  need  neither 
cothurnus  nor  mask.  Our  plays,  I  am  afraid,  are  not  so 
gigantic  as  those  of  ancient  Hellas ;  but  there  is  one  advan- 
tage, the  face  is  seen,  and  the  Greeks  are  wonderfully  expres- 
sive in  revealing  their  feelings  by  the  countenance." 

<'A11  Melnos  seems  to  be  built  of  this  red  stone." 

"  Yes ;  I  get  it  from  the  cliffs  of  the  island.  The  tint  is 
pleasing,  and  warms  up  the  landscape.  I  am  sorry  we  can- 
not see  the  ocean  from  the  theatre,  as  I  am  very  fond  of  the 
sea ;  but,  shut  in  by  this  circle  of  mountains,  of  course  that 
is  impossible.     Now  we  must  go  and  see  the  silk  factory." 

After  they  had  gone  through  this  thoroughly,  —  for  Jus- 
tinian insisted  upon  Maurice  taking  notice  of  every  detail,  — 
the  King  showed  him  some  hot  springs  just  outside  the  vil- 
lage, which  bubbled  up  from  the  earth,  amid  rugged  blocks 
of  black  lava,  streaked  fantastically  with  sulphur. 

"  These  springs  are  full  of  medicinal  properties,  which  are 
useful  for  the  cure  of  many  diseases,"  he  said,  as  they 
watched  the  light  clouds  of  steam  rising ;  "  but  we  of  Melnos 
are  so  healthy,  that  we  rarely  use  them.  Plenty  of  work, 
plenty  of  physical  exercise,  careful  attention  to  births,  and 
fresh  air  and  water  in  abundance,  keep  the  whole  population 
in  splendid  health.     It  is  a  case  of  quality,  not  quantity." 

^'  Have  you  any  poets,  painters,  sculptors  ?  " 

"Not  yet.     True,  sometimes  rude  songs  are    made,  and 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  217 

rude  pictures  painted,  but  I  am  afraid  centuries  of  slavery 
have  crushed  all  the  creative  power  out  of  the  Hellenic  race. 
However,  they  are  free  here,  and  have  a  city  of  refuge  in  this 
island;  so,  in  the  future,  who  knows  but  what  Melnos  may 
become  a  second  Attica,  and  have  her  Plato,  her  Sophocles, 
her  Phidias!" 

"  It  will  take  years  to  develop  all  that  genius,"  said  Mau- 
rice, as  they  once  more  began  to  climb  up  the  staircase. 

"  I  am  afraid  so.  And  I  dread  who  may  come  after  me. 
I  am  old,  and  cannot  live  long ;  so  when  I  die,  unless  my  suc- 
cessor is  actuated  by  the  same  desire  to  found  a  miniature 
Attica,  as  I  have  been,  he  may  turn  this  place  into  a  nest  of 
robbers,  in  which  case,  I  am  afraid,  King  George's  Govern- 
ment would  interfere,  and  the  aspirations  of  Melnos  to  revive 
Hellenic  culture  would  be  at  an  end." 

"  Who  is  to  be  your  successor  ?  " 

"  Tlmt  I  do  not  know.  True,  I  have  a  daughter,  but  it 
needs  a  man  to  manage  my  Greeks.  I  took  Crispin  and 
Andros,  in  order  to  train  them  up  as  my  heirs,  but  Crispin 
has  become  wealthy,  and  prefers  to  live  in  England  ;  while 
Andros,  or,  as  he  now  calls  himself,  Caliphronas,  is  nothing 
but  a  scamp.  If  he  succeeded  me,  all  my  work  would  go  for 
nothing.  He  would  be  a  tyrant,  a  robber,  a  selfish  seeker 
after  pleasure,  who  would  destroy  the  simplicity  of  Melnos, 
break  all  my  laws,  and  transform  it  into  a  nest  of  crim- 
inals." 

"  Surely  you  have  some  clever  men  among  your  people  ?  " 

"  Clever  to  serve,  but  bad  to  rule.  None  of  them  have  the 
administrative  power  required  for  even  so  small  a  community 
as  this.  No ;  to  succeed  me,  I  must  have  an  Englishman. 
We  are  a  dominating  race,  fit  to  rule ;  and  a  glance  round 
the  world  will  show  you  our  colonizing  capabilities.  By  a 
cool  head  and  a  firm  hand,  I  have  transformed  a  barren  island 
into  a  centre  of  prosperity  ;  and  if  my  successors  only  follow 
my  policy,  in  a  few  hundred  years,  this  little  unknown  island 
may  become  the  centre  of  a  great  intellectual  power.  The 
Athenians,  you  know,  were  small  in  number,  yet  see  the  intel- 
lectual effect  they  produced  in  the  world's  history.  These 
Greeks  of  mine  are  descendants  of  the  ancient  Hellenes,  and 
the  spark  of  genius,  nearly  trampled  out  by  centuries  of 
Turkish  misrule,  is  still  within  them.  Place  a  plant  in  the 
dark,  and  it  grows  not ;  give  it  plenty  of  air  and  sunlight, 
and  first  the  green  leaves  appear,  then  the  bud,  lastly  the 
flower.     These  are  my  green  leaves,  which  I  have  placed  in 


218  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

the  light;  and  let  them  be  tended  and  looked  after,  who 
knows  but  what  a  glorious  flower  may  be  produced." 

"  It  is  a  splendid  —  dream  !  " 

"  A  dream  which  may  yet  turn  out  truth,"  answered  Jus- 
tinian, with  energy.  "  See  how  well  I  have  prepared  the 
ground.  My  people  here  are  physically  perfect ;  their  moral- 
ity is  much  above  what  is  to  be  found  in  the  islands  of  the 
^gean.  I  have  taught  them  to  love  work  and  loathe  idle- 
ness. The  island  they  dwell  in  contains  all  the  beauties  of 
nature  in  a  small  space.  '  Infinite  riches  in  a  little  room,' 
to  quote  Marlowe.  They  are  starting  fairly  under  my  guid- 
ance, and  they  will  develop,  as  their  prototypes  of  Athens, 
into  a  keen,  cultured,  intellectual  race,  who  may  give  this 
modern  world  as  splendid  gifts  of  genius  as  did  their  fathers 
of  old.  But  the  plant  needs  fostering,  and  I,  the  gardener, 
alas  !  am  growing  old ;  so  when  I  die,  who  will  attend  to  this 
delicate  flower  of  artificiality.  What  I  want  is  to  find  a  suc- 
cessor who  will  do  as  I  have  done." 

"He  will  be  difficult  to  find." 

"  I  fear  so  ;  unless  "  — 

Here  Justinian  paused  abruptly,  and  walked  rapidly  along 
the  mulberry  avenue,  in  which  they  were  now.  Maurice 
waited  to  hear  him  speak,  but  he  said  nothing  until  he  stood 
under  the  graceful  Corinthian  capitals  of  the  temple  pillars, 
when  he  suddenly  came  to  a  full  stop,  and  looked  at  Maurice 
keenly. 

"  Mr.  Kovlands,  do  you  know  what  I  think  ?  " 

"No,  sir." 

"  That  it  would  be  an  excellent  thing  for  you  to  give  up 
your  country-gentleman  life  in  England,  and  come  here." 

"  But  for  what  reason  ?  " 

"To  be  my  successor." 

Maurice  stared  at  him  in  open-mouthed  astonishment,  but 
in  another  moment  Justinian  vanished. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  219 

CHAPTER   XX. 

A    DIFFICULT    QUESTION. 

If  you  this  question  strange  decide, 

This  way,  that  way,  at  your  pleasure, 

It  surely  cannot  be  denied, 

If  you  this  question  strange  decide, 

That  Fate's  prerogative's  defied, 

And  thus  may  grudge  your  self-won  treasure. 

If  you  this  question  strange  decide. 

This  way,  that  way,  at  your  pleasure. 

Certainly  Maurice  felt  in  a  somewhat  embarrassing  posi- 
tion, on  hearing  of  Justinian's  offer  to  instal  him  as  future 
King  of  Melnos,  and  he  hardly  knew  what  decision  to  make 
in  the  matter.  At  present  the  affair  was  so  unexpected  and 
bewildering  that  he  hardly  grasped  the  fact  of  its  reality, 
and  remained  where  he  was,  leaning  against  a  pillar,  won- 
dering if  he  was  asleep  or  awake.  He  had  come  to  an  un- 
known island  of  the  ^gean  Sea,  and  therein  had  beheld  a 
miniature  civilization  of  a  most  unique  character,  which  in 
itself  by  its  very  fancifulness  was  enough  to  unsettle  his 
calm  reasoning  powers,  wlien  lo !  the  man  who  had  created 
this  vision  of  dead  classicism  proposed  to  bestow  it  on  him 
as  a  gift.  There  was  something  singularly  tempting  in  this 
offer,  especially  to  a  man  of  Roylands'  artistic  temperament ; 
for  here,  in  this  sea-girt  island,  he  could  lead  a  life  of  dreamy 
seclusion,  and  work  at  his  art  amid  these  rejuvenated  Hel- 
lenic times,  which  breathed  all  the  serenity  and  calm  neces- 
sary to  foster  the  craving  soul  of  genius.  In  the  riotous 
modern  world  of  England  he  had  often  felt  like  an  alien, 
and  his  work,  imbued  with  modernisms,  seemed  feeble  and 
meretricious  after  those  masterpieces  of  Greek  art  which 
still  remain  to  remind  us  of  the  supremacy  of  Attic  sculptors 
in  delineating  the  human  figure.  Devoted  to  his  art,  had 
Maurice  been  asked  by  some  fairy  to  name  his  desire,  he 
would  certainly  have  demanded  to  be  placed  in  kindred  cir- 
cumstances, calm,  untroubled,  serene,  to  those  masterly 
Athenian  creators  who  adorned  the  Parthenon  with  god-like 
forms.  Lo!  without  the  intervention  of  an  unseen  power, 
his  wish  had  been  unexpectedly  gratified,  yet,  now  that  the 
boon  long  dreamed  of  was  gratified,  he  hesitated  as  to  the 
advisability  of  accepting  it. 


220  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

It  was  difficult  for  him  to  make  up  his  mind,  from  the 
very  contrast  of  the  two  existences  which  lay  before  him, 
either  of  which  he  could  begin  from  that  moment,  by  a  mere 
acceptance  of  the  one  or  the  other.  On  the  one  hand  was  the 
turbulent  nineteenth  century,  full  of  invention,  discovery, 
feverishness,  anguish,  ambition,  like  a  terrible  yet  fascinating 
dream,  which  involved  the  straining  of  every  nerve  to  attain 
a  thankless  end;  and  on  the  other  hand  were  years  of  quiet- 
ness, of  dwelling  in  a  modern  paradise  under  a  serene  sky, 
with  all  the  incentives  to  awaken  and  foster  his  artistic  soul, 
a  reconstruction  of  that  calm  Attic  existence  which  seemed 
so  far  off  and  mist-like  beyond  the  stormy  waters  of  mediseval- 
ism  and  modern  restlessness.  Maurice,  always  impression- 
able to  his  surroundings,  felt  as  did  the  Ulyssean  sailors  in 
the  lotus-land,  when  they  were  loath  to  leave  the  drowsy 
island  for  fruitless  toilings  on  the  main ;  he  thought  this 
serene  existence  of  Melnos,  unvexed  by  the  tumults  of  nations, 
was  perfect :  yet  the  ambitious  spirit  of  the  nineteenth-cen- 
tury interest  in  his  being  called  out  to  him  to  come  forward 
and  take  his  place  in  the  fierce  fight  for  fame,  for  gold,  for 
bread,  which  vexed  the  world  of  to-day.  Peace  or  war  —  for 
social  war  it  was  in  this  modern  struggle  for  existence  —  he 
did  not  know  which  to  choose,  and,  leaning  against  that  relic 
of  the  old  classic  times,  when  earth  was  young,  fresh,  and 
joyous,  he  dreamily  pondered  over  the  choice  offered  to  him. 

Had  Keats,  that  born  Greek,  been  offered  the  chance  of 
dwelling  in  this  Hellenic  Elysium,  how  eagerly  would  lie 
have  accepted,  and  revelled  in  the  serenity  of  the  life,  like 
one  of  his  own  young  deities,  who  live  so  joyously  in  his 
delicate  verse.  Perhaps  Heine,  longing  for  the  infinite 
charm  of  the  antique  on  his  mattress-grave  in  the  Rue 
d' Amsterdam,  might  have  accepted  with  joy  this  opportu- 
nity to  dwell  in  the  placid  Greek  world  he  loved  so  well,  and 
of  which  he  sang  so  mournfully,  so  exquisitely.  But  no !  — 
Heine,  bitter,  dual  soul  as  he  was,  had  too  much  of  Judaism 
in  his  soul  to  accept  gladly  a  serene  existence,  unflavored  by 
that  bitter  irony,  those  pen  and  ink  wars,  those  modern 
sophistries  in  v/hich  his  spirit  deliglited.  Keats  —  yes  !  for 
he  was  a  born  Hellene.  Heine  —  no  !  for  the  genius  of  the 
Jew  fought  ever  with  the  genius  of  the  Greek  to  master  his 
soul,  and  his  irony,  his  orientalism,  his  Shiraz  roses,  and 
blue  Ganges,  would  have  rendered  him  restless  even  under 
the  changeless  blue  of  the  Attic  skies,  amid  the  divine 
beauty  of  serene  Hellenic  art. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  221 

Maurice  was  neither  Keats  nor  Heine,  yet  partook  of  the 
nature  of  both.  He  was  not  a  genius,  having  just  escaped 
the  fatal  gift  of  artistic  supremacy,  still,  he  had  a  strong 
craving  for  the  beautiful,  a  wish  to  create,  a  desire  to  know ; 
but  in  his  soul  the  blind  craving  of  Keats  for  Beauty  and 
Truth  was  marred  by  that  fatal  scepticism  which  blighted 
the  genius  of  Heine.  He  had  the  faith  of  the  one,  the  doubt 
of  the  other,  and,  drawn  strongly  either  way  by  these  oppos- 
ing forces,  paused  irresolutely  between  the  two.  First  he 
would  accept  and  live  the  old  Hellenic  life,  then  he  would 
refuse,  lest  such  life  should  lack  the  sharp,  salt  flavor  of 
modern  existence.  An  ass  between  two  bundles  of  hay  was 
Maurice,  but,  unlike  that  animal,  he  knew  that  each  bundle 
contained  what  the  other  lacked,  and,  greedy  of  both,  doubt- 
ful of  both,  afraid  of  both,  he  was  quite  unable  to  make  up 
his  extremely  unstable  mind. 

A  man  in  such  an  embarrassing  position  always  makes  up 
his  otherwise  wavering  mind  to  one  thing,  and  that  is,  to 
ask  advice,  though  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  he  never  means 
to  take  it  when  given.  Maurice  was  not  sure  if  he  would 
accept  advice,  yet  nevertheless  went  to  seek  Crispin,  in 
order  to  lay  the  matter  before  him,  and  ask  what  he  thought 
was  the  best  course  for  him  to  pursue.  Crispin  was  wise, 
Crispin  was  friendly,  and,  moreover,  had  tried  both  the  an- 
cient and  the  modern  modes  of  existence,  as  his  youth  had 
been  spent  in  Melnos,  his  early  manhood  in  civilized  Europe  ; 
so  surely  Crispin,  with  a  knowledge  of  both  sides  of  the 
question,  was  the  best  to  decide  for  the  one  or  the  other. 

All  the  morning  Crispin  had  been  hard  at  work  on  a  for- 
midable-looking epistle  to  Eunice,  in  which  he  told  all  his 
perils  and  adventures,  the  departure  from  Southampton,  the 
voyage  down  the  Mediterranean,  the  wreck  of  The  Eunice, 
and  their  safe  arrival  at  Melnos.  In  addition  to  this  narra- 
tive, worthy  of  Marco  Polo  at  his  best,  he  related  the  com- 
forts in  which  he  and  Maurice  were  now  dwelling,  in  order 
to  set  the  mind  of  that  gentleman's  friends  at  rest :  but,  with 
considerable  craft,  the  wily  poet  did  not  put  in  any  words  of 
loverly  affection,  as  he  knew  well  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Dengelton 
would  read  the  letter  before  giving  it  to  her  submissive 
daughter. 

In  order  to  circumvent  his  future  mother-in-law,  Crispin 
intended  to  Avrite  a  separate  letter  to  Eunice,  full  of  his  pas- 
sion, and  then  slip  it  into  an  epistle  by  Maurice,  whom  he 
intended  to  get  to  write  to  the  Kector.     Mr.  Carriston  was  a 


222  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

friend  to  the  lovers,  and  would  doubtless  be  able  to  deliver 
the  letter  unseen  by  the  dragon ;  thus  Mrs.  Dengelton  would 
be  thwarted  should  she  try  to  destroy  Eunice's  affection 
for  the  poet  by  keeping  back  his  letters. 

Near  Crispin  sat  Gurt,  at  the  open  window,  chewing  the 
quid  of  reflection,  and  looking  excessively  dismal,  as  he 
found  this  semi-classical  existence  somewhat  dull,  and  more- 
over, true  seaman  as  he  was,  viewed  a  prolonged  sojourn  on 
land  with  much  disgust.  He  brightened  up,  however,  wlien 
Maurice  came  in,  and  twisted  his  forelock  in  approved  fore- 
castle fashion  with  a  scrape  of  his  foot. 

''  Which  I  ses  t'  this  'ere  gent,"  growled  Gurt  in  his  rau- 
cous voice,  " '  w'ere  is  he  ? '  meanin'  you,  sir,  and  Mr.  Cris- 
pin ses  he,  'Oh,  he's  gone  down  t'  valley,'  so  ses  I,  'He'll 
see  the  crew,'  and  ses  he,  '  It's  werry  likely.' " 

''I'm  very  sorry,  Gurt,"  said  Maurice  in  some  dismay, 
"but  the  fact  is,  I've  been  exploring  the  village  with  Justin- 
ian, and  quite  forgot  to  see  after  our  mariners." 

"I  wish  you  had  done  so,  Maurice,"  said  Crispin  in  a 
vexed  tone,  looking  up  from  his  writing ;  "  the  poor  fellows 
will  think  we  have  forgotten  all  about  them." 

"Oh,  we  will  go  down  this  afternoon,"  replied  Maurice 
hastily.  "  I've  no  doubt  they  are  all  right  down  there.  Lots 
of  food  and  liquor  and  pretty  girls  !  eh,  Gurt  ?  " 

Crispin  laughed  and  stroked  his  chin  thoughtfully,  while  a 
gleam  of  humor  shone  in  the  solitary  eye  of  the  mariner. 

"  I  seed,"  said  Gurt,  addressing  no  one  in  particular,  "  as 
light  a  little  craft  as  I  ever  clapped  eyes  on,  gents.  Her 
deck  lights  raked  me  fore  and  aft,  they  did." 

"  Justinian  will  rake  you  fore  and  aft,"  observed  Crispin 
dryly,  "  especially  if  you  make  eyes  at  his  womankind. 
This  is  a  virtuous  island,  Gurt." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  ain't  a-goin'  agin'  it,  sir,"  growled  Gurt 
reproachfully.  "I  care  nothin'  for  the  petticoats,  I  don't. 
Now  if  it  was  Dick,  now  "  —  here  the  old  sinner  cast  up  his 
eyes,  as  if  unable  to  guess  at  Dick's  enormities. 

"  Oh,  that  is  the  smart  young  boatswain,"  said  Maurice 
quickly.  "  I'm  glad  he  is  all  right.  Why  don't  you  go 
down  and  see  him,  Gurt  ?  " 

"Beggin'  your  pardon,  gents  both,  but  I  dunno  the  bearin's 
of  this  'ere  island." 

"  Go  along  the  mulberry  avenue,"  said  Crispin,  as  Gurt 
waited  for  an  explanation,  "  and  when  you  come  to  a  flight 
of   steps    near   the   tunnel,    go   down   them.     When   you're 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  22o 

in  the  village,  you'll  soon  find  out  your  comrades,  and  tell 
them  Mr.  Roy  lands  and  myself  will  come  down  to  see  them 
this  afternoon." 

'•Right  y'  are,  sir,"  answered  the  seaman,  going  to  the 
door  with  another  nautical  salutation.  "  I  don't  want  Dick 
a.-comin'  up  here  to  cast  anchor  aside  my  little  craft." 

"  You've  begun  early,  Gurt,"  observed  Maurice,  taking  a 
seat.     '-'  What  is  the  name  of  your  little  craft  ?  " 

"  Zoe,  sir ;  she's  maid  to  Miss  Helena." 

"  Well,  you  can  go  away  with  a  contented  heart,  Gurt," 
said  Crispin,  laughing.  "  Dick  won't  see  her  if  he  comes  here 
in  your  absence.  She's  gone  up  the  mountain  with  her 
mistress." 

"  Right  y'  are,  sir,"  said  Gurt  again,  all  of  him  except  his 
head  behind  the  curtains  of  the  doorway.  "  I  don't  trust 
Dick.  He's  a  fly-away  chap,  gents  both,  and  a  deal  sight  too 
handsome  for  my  idea,  sirs." 

The  head  vanished,  and  Crispin  laughed  uproariously. 

"  That  mahogany  image  is  jealous,  Maurice,"  he  said,  throw- 
ing himself  back  in  his  chair.  "  Behold  the  power  of  love  ! 
Why,  Zoe  wouldn't  look  at  him  ;  and  if  that  good-looking 
young  bo'swain  comes  on  the  scene,  I'm  afraid  old  Cyclops' 
chance  will  be  but  a  poor  one." 

"  Zoe's  gone  up  the  mountain  with  Helena  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  on  some  llower-gathering  expedition.  They  have 
been  absent  some  hours,  so  Caliphronas  has  gone  to  look  for 
them." 

"  Confound  his  impudence  !  " 

"  Why,  you  are  as  jealous  of  the  mistress  as  Cyclops  is  of 
the  maid  !  However,  you  need  not  be  afraid,  for  Helena 
hates  our  Greek  friend,  and  I  shrewdly  suspect  she  has  taken 
an  uncommon  liking  to  you." 

''Nonsense!" 

"  It's  a  fact,  I  assure  you.  Love  in  her  eyes  sits  playing, 
so  if  you  love  her,  and  she  loves  you,  no  power  can  cut  your 
love  in  two." 

'^  Except  Caliphronas." 

"  Yes,  he  is  rather  in  the  way  ;  but  I've  no  doubt  Justinian 
will  settle  him.     By  the  way,  where  is  Justinian  ?  " 

"  He  left  me  at  the  steps,  after  making  me  a  most  extraor- 
dinary proposal." 

"  Indeed  !  and  this  proposal  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it  shortly.    What  are  you  doing  ?  " 

"  Writing  to  Eunice.     This/^  laying  his  hand  on  the  letter, 


224  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASV. 

"  is  a  proper  epistle  which  might  be'  published  to  all  the 
world,  and  is  prepared  especially  for  the  pacification  of  my 
dear  mother-in-law  that  is  to  be.  I,  however,  want  you  to 
write  to  our  mutual  friend,  Mr.  Carriston,  and  enclose  a  note 
of  mine  meant  for  the  eyes  of  Eunice  alone.  The  Rector  is 
our  friend,  and  will  manage  to  give  it  to  her  unknown  to 
Mrs.  Dengelton." 

"  Oh,  I  will  write  with  the  greatest  of  pleasure,  and  en- 
close your  letter.  Besides,  I  wish  to  ask  the  Rector's  advice 
on  a  very  important  matter." 

*'  I  can  guess  what  that  important  matter  is,"  said  Crispin 
gayly  ;  "  but  why  not  ask  my  advice  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to,  in  a  few  minutes.  By  the  way,  to  revert 
to  the  letters,  how  are  you  going  to  gQt  them  posted  ?  " 

"Oh,  Justinian  has  a  felucca  laden  with  currants,  silks, 
and  what  not,  going  to  Syra  to-morrow,  —  Syra,  you  know, 
is  the  great  mercantile  station  of  the  Cyclades,  —  and  these 
letters  will  go  in  charge  of  the  skipper.  From  S3'ra  they  will 
easily  go  to  England  by  the  French  packet,  via  Marseilles." 

"  Have  you  any  other  letters  to  write  —  I  mean  about  the 
shipwreck  ?  " 

"  Of  course ;  I  have  written  to  my  solicitors,  telling  them 
all  about  the  wreck,  and  instructing  them  to  see  the  insur- 
ance people;  but  I  suppose  nothing  can  be  done  till  I  go 
back  to  town  myself,  and  take  all  the  survivors  with  me. 
They,  I  suppose,  will  have  to  give  all  kinds  of  evidence 
about  the  smash-up  of  The  Eunice  before  the  insurance 
money  will  be  paid." 

"What  about  Martin's  relations  and  the  dead  sailors'  ?  " 

"  I  am  writing  about  that  also.  By  the  way,  Maurice,  we 
must  get  Justinian  this  afternoon  to  take  his  men  and  go 
down  to  the  sea-shore  to  look  after  the  bodies  of  those  poor 
fellows.  It  seems  horribly  heartless  of  us  talking  and  laugh- 
ing like  we  did  last  night,  when  so  many  human  beings  ha\ne 
lost  their  lives." 

"  It  does  rather,  Crispin ;  but  if  we  had  mourned  it  would 
not  have  made  much  difference.  Hang  it !  that  sounds 
rather  cruel.  Crispin,  I  am  afraid  a  semi-barbaric  life  is 
making  me  heartless." 

The  poet  said  nothing,  but,  with  a  sad  expression  on  his 
face,  stared  at  the  table.  It  did  seem  heartless  for  them 
both  to  be  light-hearted  and  merry  when  Martin  and  the  ma- 
jority of  his  brave  crew  had  gone  to  the  bottom ;  but  there 
was  some  excuse,  for  they  themselves  had  narrowly  escaped 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  225 

a  similar  fate,  and  that  in  itself  was  enough  to  make  them 
buoyant.  After  all,  the  dead  are  dead,  and  crying  will  not 
bring  them  back ;  but  both  the  Englishmen  determined  to 
search  for  the  bodies  that  very  afternoon,  and  give  them 
Christian  burial,  which  was  the  only  thing  they  could  really 
do  for  their  lost  comrades. 

"  What  about  those  sailors  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  suddenly 
looking  up. 

"  Oh,  they  must  remain  here  until  we  can  find  some  chance 
of  sending  them  to  Syra.  In  fact,  I'm  not  sure  if  I  won't 
tell  my  agents  to  send  me  out  another  yacht  to  replace  The 
Eunice,  and  then  they  can  all  ship  on  board  of  her." 

"  You  extravagant  fellow  ;  another  yacht !  Even  twelve 
thousand  a  year  will  not  stand  such  reckless  use  of  money." 

"  Oh,  I  won't  lose  anything,"  replied  Crispin  cheerfully. 
"  I  am  not  too  much  of  a  poet  to  neglect  business,  and  The 
Eunice  was  heavily  insured.  When  the  money  is  paid  by 
the  underwriters,  as  it  must  be  on  my  return  to  England,  it 
will  go  a  long  way  towards  the  purchase  of  another  boat." 

"  So  much  for  the  buying ;  but  can  you  trust  your  agents 
to  get  you  a  yacht  as  good  as  the  one  you  have  lost  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  not  in  an  ordinary  case,  but  fortunately  the  twin 
ship  to  The  Eunice  is  in  the  market,  and  resembles  her  in  all 
respects.  That  was  a  few  months  ago,  so  if  she  is  still  to  be 
had,  I  will  instruct  Danton  &  Slabe  to  purchase  her  on  my 
behalf,  and  send  her  to  the  Piraeus.  Then,  when  we  are  tired 
of  Melnos,  we  can  cross  over  to  the  mainland,  and  have  a 
cruise  up  the  Black  Sea  before  returning  to  England." 

"That  does  not  sound  as  if  you  were  anxious  to  see 
Eunice,"  said  Maurice  dryly. 

"  I  will  be  very  glad  to  see  Eunice  again,"  answered  Cris- 
pin, reddening  slightly ;  "  but  the  fact  is,  I  have  a  small 
scheme  in  my  head  to  get  Eunice  and  her  mother,  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Carriston,  to  come  out  to  Athens  in  my  new 
yacht." 

"  But  with  what  idea  ?  " 

"  Well,"  said  Crispin,  looking  down,  "  the  fact  is,  Maurice, 
I  do  not  trust  your  aunt." 

"  As  to  that,  I  don^t  blame  you,"  answered  that  lady's  affec- 
tionate nephew  quietly. 

"  If  she  sees  a  better  match  for  Eunice  than  I  am,"  re- 
sumed Crispin  calmly,  "she  will  force  the  poor  child  into  a 
marriage,  and  give  me  the  go-by.  Mind  you,  Maurice,  I  love 
Eunice  dearly,  and  in  my  eyes  she  is  nearly  perfect,  but  I 


226  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

cannot  conceal  from  myself  that  she  has  a  somewhat  weak 
nature,  and  is  dominated  by  her  terrible  mother.  Once  she 
is  my  wife,  and  away  from  that  influence,  she  will  learn  to 
be  more  self-reliant,  and  less  biassed  by  other  people.  Now, 
I  see  perfectly  well  that  there  is  going  to  be  trouble  here 
about  Caliphronas." 

''  I  agree  with  you  there.  Caliphronas  evidently  wants  to 
marry  Helena,  who  does  not  like  him ;  and,  moreover,  Jus- 
tinian refuses  to  favor  the  marriage  in  any  marked  degree, 
so  Caliphronas  is  just  the  kind  of  sneaking  scamp  to  go 
over  to  Alcibiades,  and,  if  possible,  make  trouble." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  we  are  here  for  some  time,  and  as  I 
see  you  take  the  same  view  of  it  as  I  do,  you  must  per- 
ceive that  we  are  here  for  some  months.  If,  then,  I  am 
away  from  England  all  that  time,  Mrs.  Dengelton  will  cer- 
tainly try  to  persuade  Eunice  that  I  will  not  come  back,  and 
marry  her  to  some  one  else.  However,  if  I  can  get  Eunice 
out  here,  I  think  I  can  trump  Mrs.  Dengelton's  best  trick. 
Do  you  think,  if  I  instruct  my  agents  about  the  yacht,  and 
write  to  Mrs.  Dengelton  and  the  Rector,  that  the}'  will  come 
out  to  Athens  ?  " 

''  As  to  that,  I  am  not  sure,"  replied  Maurice  slowly,  "  but 
I  trust  so,  with  all  my  heart,  as  I  wish  to  ask  the  Rector's 
advice." 

"  So  you  mentioned  before,  and  promised  to  ask  mine.  I 
will  be  delighted  to  give  it  to  you,  so  tell  me  what  is  the 
matter.     Helena  ?  " 

''  Partly." 

"  Hum  !     Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  Partly." 

"  Ho,  ho  !  and  Justinian  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"A  very  pretty  trinitv,"  said  Crispin,  lighting  a  cigarette. 
"  Well,  what's  to  do  ?  "  " 

Maurice  tilted  his  chair  back  against  the  wall,  and  followed 
Crispin's  example  with  regard  to  tobacco,  and  prepared  for 
a  long  talk  on  —  to  him  —  a  serious  subject,  viz.  the  settle- 
ment of  his  future  life  in  one  way  or  the  other. 

"  First  of  all,"  said  Maurice  slowly,  "  I  have  been  all  over 
the  village  with  Justinian,  and  I  cannot  tell  you  how  amazed 
I  am.  That  such  a  community,  that  such  great  works,  should 
owe  their  origin  to  one  man,  is,  I  think,  a  miracle.  This 
dream  of  Justinian's  regarding  a  new  Hellas  may  or  may  not 
come  to  pass,  but  he  has  certainly  laid  the  foundations  of  a 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  227 

small  independent  state  in  a  wonderfully  judicious  manner. 
What  his  real  name  is,  I,  of  course,  do  not  know,  but  the  one 
he  has  taken  certainly  suits  him  admirably  ;  he  is  a  Justinian 
—  a  born  law-giver,  and  his  system  meets  all  the  require- 
ments of  this  simple  community.  As  he  says  himself,  so 
long  as  he  is  at  the  helm,  things  will  go  on  all  right,  but 
should  he  die  — which  at  his  age  is  not  unlikely  —  the  success 
or  failure  of  this  infant  intellectual  state  depends  on  his 
successor.  A  wise,  clear-headed  man  will  carry  out  the 
scheme  to  a  successful  issue;  but  a  hot-tempered,  selfish 
ruler  would  doom  the  whole  thing  to  destruction.  Justinian 
told  me  that  he  had  brought  up  both  you  and  Caliphronas  as 
his  successors  ;  but  as  to  yourself,  you  went  in  search  of  fame 
and  love  in  England,  and  severed  yourself  entirely  from  his 
island  community." 

"  I  did  not  know  Justinian  desired  me  to  succeed  him," 
said  Crispin  in  a  tone  of  wonderment ;  "  but  even  had  I 
known,  I  hardly  think  things  would  have  gone  differently.  I 
am  a  poet,  not  a  ruler ;  and  Napoleons  are  made  of  stronger 
stuff  than  mere  bards  piping  their  idle  song,  and  letting  the 
world  go  by.  No  ;  Justinian  never  hinted  at  such  a  thing ; 
and  I  always  thought  that  he  favored  Caliphronas  as  the  heir 
to  his  island  throne." 

"  Caliphronas  !  "  echoed  Maurice  in  a  tone  of  deep  disdain. 
"  No ;  Justinian  is  too  keen  a  judge  of  character  to  mis- 
take our  Greek  goose  for  a  swan.  He  told  me  himself  that 
he  does  not  trust  Caliphronas,  and  more  than  suspects  him 
of  having  an  understanding  with  that  rascal  Alcibiades 
regarding  the  capture  of  Melnos." 

"  The  deuce  ! " 

"  Yes  ;  you  may  well  be  astonished ;  but,  from  what  I 
have  seen  of  Caliphronas,  I  believe  it  is  quite  likely  to  hap- 
pen, the  more  so  as  this  handsome  Greek's  vanity  will  receive 
a  severe  blow  when  he  is  refused  —  as  he  certainly  will  be  — 
by  Helena.  Well,  you  can  see  that  Justinian  will  not  have 
Caliphronas  to  succeed  him  on  his  island  throne,  so,  you  two 
candidates  for  the  purple  being  thus  disposed  of  "  — 

"  Yes  ?  "  asked  Crispin  curiously,  as  Roylands  hesitated. 

"  He  wants  me  to  ascend  the  throne  when  vacant." 

"  You  ?  " 

"  Myself  !     Are  you  not  astonished  ?  " 

Crispin  twirled  his  cigarette  in  his  fingers,  looked  thought- 
fully at  the  red  tip  as  if  consulting  it  as  an  oracle,  and  then 
made  slow  reply. 


228  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

'•  Yes,  and  no.  Justinian  evidently  sees  in  you  a  clear- 
headed man,  who  would  carry  out  his  scheme  if  you  honor- 
ably promised  to  do  so.  He  is  English,  you  are  English,  and 
he  trusts  none  but  his  own  countrymen,  so  I  cannot  say  that 
his  offer  to  make  you  his  successor  startles  me  very  much." 

"  But,  my  dear  Crispin,  granted  I  have  these  capabilities 
you  so  kindly  gift  me  with,  of  which  I  am  doubtful,  Justin- 
ian has  only  known  me  two  days,  and  a  clever  man  as  he  is 
could  scarcely  come  to  a  conclusion  so  quickly." 

"Justinian  is  a  good  judge  of  character,  and  can  tell  the 
nature  of  a  man  in  five  minutes,  where  you  or  I  would  take 
five  years  in  the  search.  Besides,"  added  the  poet,  with 
an  imperceptible  smile,  "  he  may  have  another  and  stronger 
reason." 

"  You  mean  Helena,  I  suppose  ?  " 

Now^  Crispin  did  not  mean  Helena  at  all ;  but  as  what  he 
did  allude  to  was  not  his  own  secret,  he  let  Maurice  believe 
that  his  supposition  regarding  Helena  was  the  right  one. 

"  Well,  yes  ;  I  suppose  Helena  is  a  reason." 

"  Do  you  think  he  would  let  me  marry  her  ?  "  asked  Maurice 
breathlessly. 

"  I  am  certain  he  would,"  answered  Crispin,  looking  straight 
at  his  companion  ;  "  quite  positive.  But  you  —  what  about 
yourself  ?  " 

"  I  love  her  dearly." 

"  Two  days'  acquaintance  —  you  love  her  dearly  !  Is  that 
not  rather  sharp  work  ?  " 

'•  Two  days  !  "  echoed  Maurice  contemptuously.  "  I  have 
known  her  longer  than  that.  I  fell  in  love  with  her  por- 
trait, as  you  know,  and  resolved,  if  she  had  the  qualities  I 
thought  she  had  from  her  face,  I  would  marry  her.  From 
what  I  have  seen  of  her,  I  am  certain  she  has  those  qualities, 
and  would  make  me  a  good  wife,  provided  always  she  con- 
sents to  marry  me.  Beautiful,  pure,  charming,  simplicity 
itself;  oh,  my  friend,  she  is  indeed  a  prize  I  may  think 
myself  lucky  in  winning !  " 

"  When  a  man  is  in  love,"  said  Crispin  intensively,  "it  is 
no  use  reasoning  with  him ;  and,  as  regards  Helena,  I  quite 
approve  of  all  you  say.  She  will  make  j'OU  an  admirable 
wife  ;  but,  think  to  yourself,  how  will  this  uncultured,  simple 
girl  look  beside  the  cultured  ladies  of  England  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  very  point  about  which  I  desire  to  ask  your 
and  the  Rector's  advice,"  said  Maurice  eagerly.  "  Will  I 
marry  Helena,  and  accept  the  post  of  governing  this  island  ? 
or  will  I  marry  Helena,  and  go  back  to  Roylands  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  229 

"  In  any  case,  I  see  it  is  '  marry  Helena,' "  rejoined  his 
companion  dryly  ;  "  but  really  1  hardly  know  what  to  say. 
Life  here  is  charming  and  indolent.  You  like  charm  and 
indolence,  so  why  not  stay  here  ?  On  the  other  hand,  you 
have  your  ancestral  acres,  your  position  in  the  world,  to  think 
of,  and  if  you  value  these  more  than  a  life  in  this  delightful 
Castle  of  Indolence  —  well,  go  back." 

'•'  I  don't  know  what  to  do." 

"Well,  I  have  given  you  my  advice,  and,  as  is  usual  in 
such  cases,  you  will  not  take  it." 

•^  It  is  such  a  difficult  question." 

"  Granted  !  but  you  will  have  to  decide  one  way  or  the 
other  shortly.  One  thing  is  certain,  that  it  would  be  benefi- 
cial to  your  art." 

"  That  is  true  enough." 

"  After  all,"  said  Crispin  seductively,  "  what  better  life 
can  you  desire  ?  A  ready-made  kingdom,  small  and  com- 
pact—  a  delightful  climate  —  obedient  subjects  —  a  lotus- 
eating  existence  —  and  Helena  !  " 

"  It  is  delightful  —  but  duty  ?  " 

"  Oh  ! "  cried  Crispin,  shrugging  his  shoulders,  "  of  course, 
if  you  are  going  to  invoke  that  bogie,  I  have  nothing  further 
to  say.     Ask  the  Eector." 

"  What  do  you  think  he  will  say  ?  " 

Crispin  burst  out  laughing,  and,  sauntering  to  the  window, 
threw  his  burnt-out  cigarette  into  the  green  grass  beyond. 

"  Did  ever  any  one  hear  such  a  man  ?  My  dear  fellow,  I 
cannot  tell  you  what  the  Rector  will  say.  He  is  an  ardent 
Hellenist,  with  his  Aristophanic  studies,  and  may  say,  '  Stay, 
by  all  means  ! '  On  the  other  hand,  he  is  an  English  Church 
clergyman,  with  strong  opinions  as  to  the  absenteeism  of 
landlords,  and  the  duties  they  owe  their  tenants,  in  which 
case  he  will  certainly  make  you  come  back.  But  in  either 
event  you  will  have  your  dear  Helena." 

"  I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,  Crispin.  If  I  refuse  Justinian's 
request,  he  may  refuse  me  Helena." 

"  Certainly  ;  that  is  not  impossible,"  replied  Crispin,  re- 
turning to  his  writing.  "However,  I  will  write  to  my  agents 
about  the  yacht,  to  Mrs.  Dengelton  and  the  Rector  about 
their  joining  us  at  Athens.  At  my  invitation  the  Rector 
may  not  come,  at  yours  he  will." 

u  Why  ?  " 

^*  Because  you,  my  dear,  simple  old  Maurice,  are  the  apple 
of  his  eye;  and  if  you  write  him  on  the  question  of  your 


230  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

staying  here,  he  will  certainly  hurry  out  at  once,  so  as  to  see 
for  himself  how  matters  stand,  and  advise  you  for  the  best." 

"  Will  you  write  as  you  intend  ?  and  I  will  also  send  a 
letter  to  Carriston." 

"Don't  forget  to  enclose  mine,"  said  Crispin  warningly. 
"  Remember  you  are  to  that  extent  responsible  for  my  wooing 
with  Eunice.     Will  j^ou  write  your  letter  now  ?  " 

A  delicious  burst  of  girlish  laughter  sounded  from  the 
court. 

'^  Helena !  "  cried  Maurice,  rising  up  so  quickly  as  to  upset 
his  chair. 

"  Go  away  !  go  away  !  "  said  Crispin  resignedly  ;  "  no  chance 
of  your  writing  now  with  that  sound  in  your  ears.  But,  as 
the  boat  does  not  go  till  to-morrow,  you  can  have  a  holiday 
with  Helena  this  afternoon  ;  therefore,  go  away." 

'•' Caliphronas  is  with  her,"  said  Maurice,  hesitating. 

"  And  has  been  all  the  morning.  Faint  heart  never  won 
fair  lady,  so  if  you  don't  oust  your  rival,  I  am  afraid  she  will 
be  married  by  him  under  your  nose." 

"  I'm  hanged  if  she  will !  "  cried  Maurice  angrily. 

There  was  a  second  burst  of  laughter,  upon  which  Crispin, 
with  raised  eyebrows,  shrugged  his  shoulders,  pointed  to  the 
door,  and  resumed  his  writing. 

Maurice  paused  irresolutely,  looked  at  the  poet,  and  then 
darted  out  of  the  door  like  a  swallow,  to  find  Helena  stand- 
ing alone  in  the  court,  with  her  arms  full  of  flowers. 

"  I  have  been  flower-hunting  on  the  mountains,"  said 
Helena  graciously ;  "  and  this  wild  rose  is  for  you." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  231 

CHAPTER   XXI. 

CAPTAIN    ALCIBIADES. 

Sir!  there  are  three  degrees  of  robbery, 

With  different  names,  but  meanings  similar: 

For  he  who  does  his  thievish  work  liimself 

Is  but  a  common  foot-pad!  quite  unfit 

To  mix  in  gentlemen's  society. 

A  bandit,  brigand,  robber  chief,  is  he 

Who  has  a  dozen  men  or  so  to  rule, 

And  steals  your  daughter,  burns  your  tenement, 

Or  holds  you  prisoner  till  a  ransom's  paid. 

But  he  who,  having  armies  at  command, 

Robs  brother  monarchs  of  their  territories, 

Is  called  a  conqueror,  because  he  thieves 

Upon  a  large  and  comprehensive  scale. 

Thief,  brigand,  conqueror!  believe  me,  sir, 

The  size  o'  the  theft  is  all  the  difference ; 

For,  call  them  what  you  please,  they're  criminals. 

Justinian,  having  ascertained  all  particulars  about  the 
wreck  of  The  Eunice  the  previous  day,  had  sent  a  number 
of  men  to  look  after  the  bodies  of  those  unfortunates  who 
had  been  cast  up  on  the  beach  of  Melnos,  and  now,  in  com- 
pany with  the  three  young  men,  and  the  surviving  sailors, 
went  to  the  sea-shore  in  order  to  give  the  corpses  decent 
burial.  Conducted  by  a  body  of  his  Greeks,  bearing  torches, 
he  went  down  through  the  tunnel,  and  speedily  arrived  at  the 
outer  entrance,  from  which  a  sandy  beach  sloped  down  to 
the  harbor.  Not  that  it  was  exactly  a  harbor,  but  Justinian 
had  aided  Nature  to  form  one,  by  erecting  a  breakwater 
from  the  end  of  a  jutting  promontory,  which  breakwater, 
built  of  huge  undressed  stones,  ran  out  in  a  curve  into  the 
tideless  sea,  and  thus  embraced  a  calm  pool  of  water,  which 
sufficiently  protected  ships  at  anchorage.  Beyond,  the  ocean 
at  times  was  rough  enough,  and  at  stormy  seasons  dashed  its 
white  waves  over  the  rocky  mole,  but  within  that  charmed 
circle  there  was  no  danger,  and  the  smallest  boat  was  as  safe 
there  as  it  would  have  been  on  the  serene  waters  of  a  moun- 
tain lake.  This  was  the  work  of  the  English  engineer  who 
had  planned  and  carried  out  the  piercing  of  the  tunnel,  and 
Maurice  could  not  withhold  his  admiration  at  the  perfection 
of  the  whole  scheme,  for  without  this  breakwater  it  would 
have  been  impossible  for  any  sized  craft  to  cast  anchor  off 
the  craggy  coast  of  the  island. 


232  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

'•'■  I  have  two  harbors  of  this  kind,"  said  Justinian,  as  they 
looked  at  the  small  boats,  feluccas,  and  caiques  which  filled 
the  pool ;  "  one  you  see,  the  other  is  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  island.  As  it  faces  to  the  west,  of  course  it  suffers  more 
from  storms  than  this  one,  but  I  built  it  in  order  to  facilitate 
escape  in  time  of  trouble  should  the  tunnel  be  taken  by 
assault." 

"I  hardly  understand." 

"There  are  only  two  ways  of  getting  into  the  interior  of 
Melnos.  The  one  is  by  this  tunnel,  the  other  is  a  pass  which 
cuts  through  the  western  side  of  the  mountain  where  it  falls 
away  in  a  semicircle,  as  I  showed  you.  Owing  to  the  height 
of  the  peaks  around,  their  ruggedness,  their  being  covered 
all  the  year  round  with  snow,  it  is  impossible  for  any  out- 
side enemy  to  climb  over  them.  This  tunnel  and  the  west- 
ern pass  are  the  only  modes  of  ingress  and  egress,  as  I  have 
explained.  Should  this  tunnel  therefore  be  forced,  and  we 
find  ourselves  unable  to  defend  the  island,  all  we  have  to  do 
is  to  retreat  through  the  pass  I  told  you  of,  down  to  the  har- 
bor on  the  other  side,  where  there  are  plenty  of  boats  ready 
to  take  us  to  a  place  of  safety.  Of  course  I  trust  in  the 
courage  of  my  Greeks,  and  the  difficulties  an  enemy  would 
encounter  in  capturing  the  tunnel,  so  I  hardly  exj)ect  such  a 
contingency  as  flight  by  the  western  pass  would  occur ;  still, 
it  is  always  as  well  to  be  prepared  for  emergencies." 

"You  have  thought  of  everything,"  said  Maurice  admir- 
ingly. 

"  Danger  sharpens  a  man's  wits,"  replied  Justinian  coolly  ; 
"  and  when  I  first  came  to  Melnos,  I  was  surrounded  on  all 
sides  b}^  rascals  of  the  Alcibiades  type." 

"Alcibiades  is  only  a  smuggler,"  observed  Caliphronas, 
who  was  listening  to  this  discourse. 

"  Alcibiades  is  whatever  pays  him  best,"  retorted  the  king 
in  great  ire  ;  "  it  is  only  fear  of  King  George's  Government 
that  keeps  him  from  hoisting  the  black  flag,  and  making 
these  islands  of  the  ..^gean  a  nest  of  iniquity.  I  believe  you 
are  a  filibuster  at  heart  yourself,  Andros." 

The  Greek  laughed  consciously,  but  did  not  contradict  the 
old  man. 

"  I  am  like  Alcibiades,  sir,"  he  said  at  length,  "  and  go  in 
for  what  pays  me  best  —  Mr.  Maurice  there  knows  my  senti- 
ments regarding  life:" 

"I  do  ;  and  very  bad  sentiments  they  are  !  " 

"  I  wonder  what  you  would  say  to  the  views  of  Alcibia- 
des!" 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  233 

"  He  may  carry  his  views  more  into  practice  than  you  do/' 
retorted  Maurice  warmly,  ''  but  I  defy  them  to  be  worse." 

Justinian  laughed  at  the  blunt  way  in  which  Maurice 
spoke,  so  Caliphronas,  having  his  own  reasons  for  keeping  a 
fair  face  to  the  old  man,  discreetly  held  his  peace,  and  they 
all  trudged  along  the  beach,  towards  the  place  where  the 
bodies  of  the  ill-fated  sailors  lay. 

The  mast  of  The  Eunice  was  still  above  water,  but  the 
yacht  herself  lay  far  below  the  blue  sea,  where  she  would 
probably  remain  until  there  remained  nothing  of  her  save  the 
engines,  which  would  of  course  defy  time  and  the  ocean, 
until  between  them  these  mighty  destroyers  rusted  them 
to  nothing.  From  the  position  in  which  she  lay,  and  the 
general  calmness  of  the  water,  it  is  probable  the  yacht 
could  have  been  set  afloat  again  ;  but  the  Greeks  of  the 
Cyclades  have  not  sufficient  energy  for  such  a  task,  and  the 
underwriters  would  no  doubt  rather  pay  the  insurance  money 
than  waste  more  in  an  attempt  to  raise  the  wreck  from  the 
depths  below. 

Twelve  bodies  had  been  thrown  up  by  the  sea,  but  the 
rest  of  the  crew  — with  the  exception  of  the  ten  sailors,  in- 
cluding Gurt  —  were  buried  deep  in  the  ocean.  Far  up  in 
a  sheltered  nook,  under  the  red  cliffs,  twelve  graves  had  been 
dug  in  the  soft  sand,  and  in  these  were  the  ill-fated  seamen 
laid.^  Martin's  body  was  not  among  them,  and  it  doubtless 
lay  in  a  sailor's  grave  nigh  the  island,  encircled  by  sand, 
seaweed,  and  many-colored  shells.  The  funeral  ceremony 
did  not  take  long,  but,  as  Justinian  refused  the  office, 
Maurice  undertook  the  task  of  chaplain,  and,  with  a  voice 
full  of  emotion,  read  the  beautiful  burial  service  of  the 
Church  of  England  over  the  remains  of  the  dead  sailors, 
which  were  then  covered  up,  and  roughly-made  wooden 
crosses  placed  at  the  head  of  each  humble  grave,  with  the 
name  of  each  and  date  of  death  carved  thereon.  All  those 
present  stood  bareheaded  during  the  ceremony,  even  the 
Melnosians,  who  were  gentlemen  enough  not  to  offend  the 
prejudices  of  the  strangers  wrecked  on  their  rugged  shores. 
Everything  having  thus  been  done,  in  order  to  show 
respect  to  the  dead,  Justinian  and  his  party  returned  to  the 
entrance  of  the  tunnel,  and  Dick,  the  smart  young  boatswain 
before  mentioned,  attached  himself  to  Maurice,  for  whom  he 
had  a  great  admiration.  Dick  had  received  an  education 
much  above  that  of  the  average  British  tar,  and  Maurice 
found  him  a  very  companionable  fellow,  but  one  who  bore  a 


234  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

great  hatred  for  Caliplironas,  as  he  seemed  to  think  the 
lively  Greek  was  the  cause  of  all  the  misfortunes  Avhich  had 
overtaken  The  Eunice. 

"  A  kind  of  Jonah,  sir !  "  said  Dick  in  a  whisper,  for  Cal- 
iphronas  was  walking  just  ahead  of  them  with  Justinian  ; 
"  if  we'd  a-chucked  him  overboard,  I  don't  believe  the  boat 
would  have  gone  ashore." 

"  Come,  Dick,  you  cannot  say  the  Count  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  storm." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,  sir,"  replied  Dick  doubtfully,  "  but 
I  don't  believe  in  him  one  bit.  Why,  sir,  he  cut  that  rope 
on  purpose  ! " 

"  I  know  he  did  !  " 

"  D  —  n  him  !  "  muttered  the  boatswain  in  a  tone  of  sup- 
pressed rage  ;  "  why  don't  you  have  it  out  with  him,  sir  ?  " 

"  I  can't  very  well,  Dick.  Doubtless  he  cut  that  rope,  as 
you  say,  on  purpose ;  but  he  was  so  overcome  by  terror  that 
he  might  not  have  known  what  he  was  doing." 

"  He's  a  coward,  sir  —  a  miserable  cowara  !  and  he  wasn't 
overcome  so  much  by  terror,  as  not  to  save  his  own  life. 
How  long  do  we  stop  here,  sir  ?  " 

"  I  can  hardly  tell  you.  Mr.  Crispin  has  sent  to  England 
for  a  new  yacht,  which  will  proceed  to  Athens,  I  expect 
we  will  be  here  at  least  a  month." 

"  Lord  bless  you,  sir,  I  don't  mind !  It's  a  jolly  sort  of 
place,  though  I  can't  say  I  like  their  sour  wine,  but  the  girls 
are  pretty." 

"  Dick,  Dick,  you  are  too  inflammable !  Take  care  you 
don't  get  into  trouble  over  these  women.  Greeks  are  jealous, 
you  know ! " 

Dick  grinned,  as  much  as  to  say  he  considered  jealousy  of 
little  moment  where  a  pretty  woman  was  concerned,  and 
then  asked  Maurice  a  question  which  made  that  gentleman 
laugh  heartily. 

''  You  don't  happen  to  know  a  girl  here  called  Zoe,  sir  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Gurt  has  been  speaking  about  her,"  said  Roylands 
with  a  smile;  "she  is  Miss  Helena's  maid,  and  Gurt  has  laid 
his  heart  at  her  feet." 

"  She  won't  have  anything  to  say  to  a  battered  old  hulk 
like  that,  sir." 

"Perhaps  you  think  a  tight  young  craft  like  you  would 
succeed  better.  Now,  Dick,  you  behave  yourself.  I've  no 
doubt  all  the  girls  in  the  island  are  in  love  with  you,  so  leave 
Gurt's  ewe  lamb  alone." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  235 

"Oh,  I'm  not  going  to  poach  on  Gurt's  preserves,  sir," 
said  Dick  apologetically ;  "  but  the  way  lie  brags  about  Zoe 
is  sickening,  and  I  want  to  have  a  look  at  her.  She  must  be 
the  beauty  of  the  island." 

Maurice  had  his  own  opinion  as  to  who  was  the  beauty  of 
the  island,  but,  of  course,  did  not  impart  such  information  to 
Dick,  who,  after  respectfully  saluting,  fell  back  among  his 
brother  sailors,  and  began  to  tease  the  one-eyed  Gurt  about 
Zoe,  a  proceeding  which  had  but  little  effect  on  that  hardened 
mariner. 

The  boat  which  was  going  to  Syra  that  day  was  now  lying 
in  the  harbor  ready  to  start,  and  Justinian  went  on  board  to 
give  some  final  orders  to  her  captain,  while  Crispin  also 
accompanied  him,  in  order  to  place  his  bundle  of  letters  in 
charge  of  the  skipper.  He  had  told  Justinian  about  his  pro- 
posed purchase  of  another  yacht,  a  proceeding  of  which  the 
astute  ancient  much  approved,  as,  if  any  of  the  anticipated 
troubles  came  to  pass,  the  yacht  would  be  useful  to  bring 
soldiers  from  Syra  to  aid  him  in  defending  the  island. 

''Your  sailors  can  stay  here  until  the  new  boat  comes  out," 
said  Justinian  thoughtfully;  "for  if  Caliphrouas,  as  you  call 
him,  plays  the  traitor,  we  will  require  as  many  men  as  we 
can  to  defend  ourselves." 

"  But  Alcibiades  has  not  an  army." 

"  Alcibiades  knows  all  the  scum  of  the  Levant,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  can  get  a  few  hundred  scamps  together.  They  have 
no  fear  of  the  Government,  for  if  they  stormed  and  took 
Melnos,  after  plundering  the  island,  they  would  only  have  to 
dissolve  again  among  the  population  in  order  to  escape.  No 
one  could  accuse  them  of  their  teacup  war." 

"  But  have  we  weapons  for  our  men  ?  "  asked  Crispin, 
with  considerable  trepidation. 

Justinian  smiled  grimly. 

"  When  we  go  back  to  the  Acropolis,  I  will  show  you  my 
armory.  I  have  plenty  of  guns  and  pistols  of  the  most  modern 
construction,  and  many  of  my  Greeks  are  good  shots  too. 
Oh,  I  haven't  neglected  the  useful  for  the  ornamental,  I 
assure  you.     What  are  you  looking  at  ?  " 

"Alcibiades." 

"  Alcibiades  ! "  cried  Justinian,  with  a  roar  like  a  lion, 
looking  towards  the  shore,  where  a  number  of  men  were 
standing,  among  them  a  heavy-looking  fellow  talking  eagerly 
to  Caliphronas.  "So  it  is.  I  wonder  what  brings  the  rascal 
here  !  I  must  get  him  away  from  Melnos  at  once.  Crispin, 
Boy  lands,  get  into  the  boat  —  there  is  no  time  to  lose  ! " 


236  THE  ISLAND   OF  FAXTASY. 

The  active  old  man  rapidly  delivered  his  final  orders  to 
Captain  Georgios,  and  then  hastily  scrambled  down  to  the 
boat,  followed  by  the  two  young  men.  They  were  speedily 
pulled  ashore,  and  Justinian,  springing  on  to  the  rocks,  strode 
up  with  a  frowning  face  to  the  group  surrounding  Alcibiades 
and  Caliphronas,  pushing  the  men  on  either  side  with  haughty 
roughness. 

"Xow,  then,  Captain  Alcibiades,  what  do  you  want  at 
Melnos  ?  " 

Maurice  looked  curiously  at  this  celebrated  individual,  of 
whom  he  had  heard  so  much,  and  beheld  a  squat,  heavily- 
built  man,  with  fiery  eyes,  an  evil  countenance,  and  a  long 
black  beard.  He  was  clad  in  the  usual  dress  of  Greek  sailors, 
consisting  of  rough  blue  trousers  and  jacket,  boots  of  un- 
tanned  leather,  a  red  shirt,  and  a  tasselled  cap  of  the  same 
color.  To  mark  his  rank,  however,  he  wore  a  handsome 
gold-embroidered  belt  round  his  waist,  in  which  were  placed 
a  rusty-looking  knife  and  a  brace  of  pistols.  This,  then,  was 
the  renowned  Captain  Kidd  of  these  waters,  who,  had  he 
lived  fifty  years  earlier,  would  have  been  a  declared  pirate, 
but  who  now,  owing  to  the  establishment  of  Xew  Hellas, 
had  to  carry  on  his  rascally  calling  under  the  pious  guise  of 
smuggling  and  peaceful  trading.  With  his  rough  dress,  his 
squat  figure,  his  tangled  black  beard,  he  formed  a  great  con- 
trast to  the  slender  form  of  Caliphronas,  with  his  clean- 
shaven face  and  dandy  costume  of  an  Albanian  Palikar.  Yet, 
in  spite  of  the  difference  in  good  looks,  the  two  men  had  the 
same  cunning  expression  in  their  shifty  eyes,  and  there  was 
but  little  doubt  that  the  rough  blackguardism  of  the  one  was 
only  refined  into  the  astute  scoundrelism  of  the  other. 

'^  Well,  Alcibiades  ! "  demanded  Justinian,  imperiously 
stamping  his  foot ;  "  what  do  you  want  with  me  ?  " 

"Kyrion  Justinian,"  said  the  smuggler  in  a  cringing  man- 
ner, "  I  but  landed  here  to  see  you  and  the  Kyrion  Andros 
about  a  cargo  of  wine  I  wish  to  obtain  for  Crete.  I  will 
pay  you  a  good  price  for  it,  as  the  grapes  of  Melnos  are 
much  thought  of  at  Khanea." 

Justinian,  on  receiving  this  diplomatic  answer,  ran  his 
fingers  thoughtfully  through  his  silver  beard,  and  pondered 
as  to  what  answer  to  give.  He  was  never  averse  to  turning 
an  honest  penny  by  trading,  and  he  knew  Alcibiades  would 
pay  a  good  price,  as  the  wine  of  Melnos  was  much  liked  by 
the  Cretans  on  account  of  its  resinous  taste,  for  the  insular 
Greeks  do  not  as  a  rule  preserve  their  vintage  in  this  way, 
which  is  peculiar  to  the  mainland. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  237 

"  How  much  do  you  want  ?  "  he  said  abruptly. 

"Two  hundred  skins,"  replied  Alcibiades  glibly;  and 
named  what  he  considered  a  fair  price. 

"Do  you  think  I  desire  to  make  you  a  present  of  the 
wine  ?  "  retorted  Justinian  scornfully.     "  Double  your  offer." 

"  Kyrion  !  impossible  !  "  cried  Alcibiades,  throwing  up  his 
hands  with  a  look  of  dismay  on  his  crafty-looking  face. 

"  You  won't  get  it  for  less." 

Alcibiades  cast  a  stealthy  look  at  Caliphronas,  and  consid- 
ered a  few  moments. 

"  Etfendi,  I  will  do  it,"  he  replied,  with  the  air  of  one 
who  has  made  a  great  sacrifice  ;  "  but  I  will  be  ruined  —  yes, 
ruined  ! " 

Justinian  nodded  curtly,  and,  turning  on  his  heel,  went 
towards  the  tunnel,  followed  by  all.  Maurice,  of  course,  had 
not  understood  a  word  of  the  preceding  conversation,  con- 
ducted as  it  was  in  Greek  ;  and  even  Crispin  found  the 
speech  of  Alcibiades  a  little  difficult  at  times,  as  that  pirati- 
cal individual  was  in  the  habit  of  mixing  up  his  own  tongue 
with  Turkish,  French,  Italian,  and  sometimes  a  scrap  of 
English. 

"Crispin,  walk  with  me  —  I  wish  to  speak  to  you,"  said 
Justinian ;  and,  the  poet  having  obeyed  this  command, 
Maurice  was  left  in  the  congenial  company  of  Alcibiades  and 
the  Count. 

Captain  Alcibiades  kept  casting  curious  glances  at  Mau- 
rice, for  Caliphronas  had  told  him  about  this  rich  Englishman, 
and  the  agreeable  old  pirate  was  wondering,  in  his  guileless 
way,  if  it  would  not  be  possible  to  kidnap  this  wealthy  for- 
eigner, and  hold  him  in  his  own  little  rocky  island  until 
such  time  as  his  relatives  paid  a  good  ransom.  Alcibiades 
was  a  genuine  brigand  of  the  t3"pe  described  by  M.  About, 
and,  but  that  he  had  fallen  on  evil  times  of  peace  and  quiet- 
ness, would  doubtless  have  risen  to  high  rank  in  his  adored 
profession.  With  a  view  to  satisfying  himself  personally  as 
to  the  wealth  of  this  traveller,  Alcibiades,  guessing  Maurice 
did  not  know  Greek,  spoke  to  him  in  French,  with  which 
Maurice  was  sufficiently  well  acquainted  to  enable  him  to 
hold  an  interesting  conversation  with  this  accomplished 
cut-throat." 

"  Monsieur  is  staying  here  ?  "  asked  Alcibiades,  blinking 
his  little  eyes. 

"  For  a  time  —  yes  \ " 

"Aha !     Monsieur  is  the  friend  of  my  dear  Andros,  so  to 


238  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

myself  he  is  also  a  dear  friend.  I  lay  myself  at  your  feet, 
monsieur." 

"Very  kind  of  you,"  retorted  Maurice,  who  was  not  at  all 
pleased  by  the  implied  friendship. 

"  Monsieur  is  rich  ?" 

"  Wliat's  that  to  do  with  you  ?  " 

"Eh,  my  faith  I  do  not  be  angry,  monsieur.  All  English- 
men are  rich." 

"  That  is  a  common  delusion  with  you  foreigners.  All 
Englishmen  are  not  rich." 

Alcibiades  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  spread  out  his  hands 
in  the  French  fashion. 

"  Monsieur  is  disposed  to  be  witty." 

By  this  time  they  had  arrived  at  the  entrance  to  the  tun- 
nel, and  Justinian  who  had  been  in  earnest  conversation  with 
Crispin,  turned  round  sharply  to  Alcibiades. 

"  You  will  wait  here,"  he  said  imperiously. 

"  Will  not  my  men  come  up  in  order  to  carry  down  the 
wine  ?  "  said  Alcibiades,  looking  as  black  as  thunder  at  this 
peremptory  order. 

"  No.  I  will  send  my  men  down  with  it,  and  you  can  pay 
the  money  to  Andros  here." 

"But,  Effendi"  — 

"  Enough  !     I  have  spoken  ! " 

"  Holy  St.  Elmo  !  you  will  not  let  me  visit  your  island  ?  " 

"No  farther  than  this,"  retorted  Justinian  significantly. 
"  You  know  the  proverb,  Captain  Alcibiades,  —  ^  111  to  him 
who  shows  his  treasure  freely.' " 

He  turned  his  back  on  the  baffled  cut-throat,  and  ascended 
the  stairs,  followed  by  his  own  men,  while  Alcibiades  and 
his  ruffians  remained  below,  evidently  mad  with  anger  at 
having  admittance  refused  them.  Rumor  said  Melnos  was 
full  of  treasure,  and  the  crafty  smuggler  wanted  to  convince 
himself  of  the  truth  of  this  with  his  own  eyes,  so  the  prohi- 
bition against  passing  the  palisade  made  him  very  wrathful. 
The  king,  however,  paid  no  attention  to  his  black  looks,  but 
resumed  his  journey,  with  Crispin  and  Maurice  on  either 
side  of  him.  Caliphronas,  on  the  weak  pretext  of  asking 
Alcibiades  some  question  about  the  wine,  remained  behind, 
a  fact  which  was  at  once  noted  by  the  lynx-eyed  Justinian. 

"  Traitor ! "  he  growled  in  his  deep  voice,  stroking  his 
beard,  as  was  his  habit  when  angered  ;  "the  fox  to  the  fox. 
Ah,  well  I  know  those  two  rascals  are  hatching  plots  against 
me." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  239 

"If  you  think  so,  why  do  you  want  Caliphronas  to  ffo  with 
Alcibiades  ? "  x-  & 

"Cannot  you  see,  Crispin.  You  will  never  make  a  diplo- 
matist. I  will  tell  Koylaiids  here,  and  I  am  sure  he  will 
discover  my  reason.  Roylands,  I  am  going  to  deliver  this 
wine  to  Alcibiades,  although  I  know  he  does  not  want  it  " 

"  Why  does  he  buy  it  then  ?  " 
_  "Because  he  thought  it  would  be  a  good  pretext  to  get 
into  Melnos  and  spy  out  the  weak  points  of  our  defence. 
Oh,  i  know  this  is  so,  else  he  would  not  have  given  me  my 
price  so  freely.  I  knew  his  plan  the  moment  he  agreed  to 
give  me  what  I  asked,  which  was  a  very  large  price,  and  one 
wiiich  no  honest  trader  could  afford  to  give.  Andros  also 
knows  of  this  scheme.  Can  you  guess  how  I  found  that 
out  I 

"  Yes ;  because  Alcibiades,  looked  at  Caliphronas  before 
agreeing  to  your  price.'' 

"Exactly  !  "  said  Justinian,  with  great  satisfaction.  "  Roy- 
lands  is  quicker  than  you,  my  dear  Crispin.  When  I  refused 
to  sell  him  the  wme  unless  at  my  own  price,  that  look  to 
Andros  was  one  of  inquiry,  and  the  answer  was,  '  Give  him 
what  he  asks,  or  you  will  not  see  the  interior  of  Melnos  ' 
Ihe  rascals  !  I  know  their  scheme,  and  will  baffle  them  " 

"let  with  all  this,  you  propose  to  send  Caliphronas  on  a 
trip  with  Alcibiades,  when  they  will  be  able  to  brino-  their 
plot  to  a  head,"  said  Crispin  impatiently.  '^ 

"Blind,  blind,  my  poet!     You  forget"  Andros  has  not  yet 
made  up  his  mind  on  which  side  to   be.     If   I   give   him 
Helena,  and  make  him  my  successor,  he  will  betray  Alcibi- 
ades as  readily  as  he  would  betray  me  if  I  refused      Well 
the  only  way  to  meet  treachery  is ''by  treachery,  so  I  intend 
to  lead  Andros  to  believe  that  I  will  do  what  he  wishes,  and 
yill  then  send  him  to  cruise  about  with   Alcibiades,  quite 
devoted  to  my  interest.     Alcibiades,  thinking  Andros  is  on 
his  side,  will  tell  him  all  about  his  plans,  the  number  of  his 
army    and  when  he  proposes  to  assault  the  island,  all  of 
which  my  good  Andros  will  repeat  to  me.     Once  I  have  that 
information,  Andros  will  find  out  that  I  neither  trust  nor  like 
him,  and  that  he  will  have  neither  my  child  nor  my  island  " 
On  hearing  this  treacherous  scheme,  Justinian  fell  in  the 
estimation  of  Maurice,  who,  true  Englishman  as  he    was, 
hked  everything   to  be   done   openly;   whereas   this   Greco- 
Briton  partook   more   of  Ulyssean  craft  than   honest,  fair 
nghting.  ' 


240  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

"  Punic  faith,"  he  said  at  length,  not  knowing  quite  what 
remark  to  make. 

"Punic  faith  with  Punic  neighbors,"  retorted  Justinian  as 
they  paused  at  the  gate.  "  If  I  don't  baffle  Andros  by  turn- 
ing his  own  weapons  against  him,  the  chances  are  that  he 
will  side  with  Alcibiades,  and  one  fine  day  Melnos  will  be 
attacked  unawares,  and  we  will  all  have  our  throats  cut." 

"  Still,  your  mode  of  defeating  Caliphronas  is  hardly  Eng- 
lish." 

''  My  good  sir,"  said  the  old  man,  with  quiet  irony, 
"Englishmen  in  their  time  have  had  to  do  just  such  under- 
hand work.  You  forget  Lord  Clive  and  his  false  treaty  with 
the  Hindoo  Omichund,  which  bound  that  slippery  rascal  to 
the  British  interest  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Plassy.  It 
promised  him  everything  before  the  battle,  and  gave  him 
nothing  after  it.  That  is  Punic  faith,  and  is  necessary  in 
such  cases.  Straightforward  honesty  doesn't  pay  in  these 
waters." 

''  Well,  do  what  you  think  best,  sir,"  replied  Maurice,  who 
saw  Justinian  was  right.  '•  It's  a  case  of  '  When  Greek  meets 
Greek,"  I  suppose."     . 

" '  Then  comes  the  tug  of  war,' "  finished  Crispin  gayly. 
"  My  dear  Maurice,  you  will  be  happier  in  the  actual  battle 
than  in  all  the  statecraft  which  leads  to  it." 

"I  hope  my  statecraft  will  avert  the  struggle,"  said 
Justinian  sombrely ;  "  but  with  an  enemy  like  Andros  to 
deal  with,  I  fear  for  the  worst." 

'•  What  are  you  waiting  for  here  ?•"  asked  Maurice,  seeing 
they  still  lingered  at  the  gate. 

"For  Andros,"  replied  Justinian  quietly.  "I  alone  pos- 
sess the  key,  and  the  gate  is  never  left  unlocked.  Ah,  here 
is  my  Carthaginian.  Now,  you  two  gentlemen,  go  on,  and 
leave  me  to  Andros  and  my  Punic  faith." 

Maurice  and  the  poet,  followed  by  all  the  English  sailors, 
entered  the  gate  and  resumed  their  ascent,  while  the  wily 
Justinian  waited  with  an  inscrutable  face  to  entrap  the 
equally  wily  Caliphronas,  who  this  time,  however,  had  found 
his  master  in  treachery. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Justinian,  Maurice  ? "  asked 
Crispin,  when  they  were  once  more  in  the  open  air,  stand- 
ing at  the  head  of  the  staircase,  and  watching  the  sailors 
descending  to  the  village  below. 

"  To  speak  frankly,  I  like  Justinian." 

"  In  spite  of  his  Punic  faith  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  241 

"  As  for  that,"  replied  Maurice,  coloring  a  little,  "  neces- 
sity knows  no  law ;  and  Caliphronas  is  such  a  consummate 
scoundrel,  that  I  can  hardly  blame  Justinian  for  trying  to 
beat  him  with  his  own  weapons." 

"Justinian  is  a  serpent  of  wisdom,"  said  the  poet  reflect- 
ively, taking  off  his  sombrero.  "  You  can  have  no  idea  how 
dexterously  he  manages  these  slippery  Greeks.  They  have 
a  wholesome  respect  for  him,  as  they  well  may  have,  seeing 
that  not  one  of  them  has  ever  yet  had  the  better  of  the  King 
of  ]\Ielnos." 

"  You  used  to  speak  bitterly  of  Justinian  yourself,  Crispin. 
Are  your  opinions  changed  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  must  admit  they  have  changed,  and  for  the  bet- 
ter. What  you  told  me  the  other  day  about  Justinian  de- 
siring me  for  his  successor  has  opened  my  eyes.  It  was  a 
fear  of  losing  me  that  made  him  refuse  to  tell  me  my  real 
name,  for  he  thought  I  would  forsake  him  and  go  back  to 
my  kinsfolk." 

"  Well,  you  have  certainly  forsaken  him." 

"  Yes ;  but  I  don't  think  he  regrets  it,  as  he  sees  I  am  not 
made  of  the  stuff  necessary  to  rule  this  colony  of  serpents ; 
so  now  he  has  no  further  reason  to  keep  me  in  the  dark,  and 
will,  I  feel  sure,  tell  me  what  I  wish  to  know  before  we 
leave  Melnos." 

"But  you  said  Justinian  thought  you  were  not  brave 
enough." 

"  So  he  did !  so  he  does  !  But  I  fancy  I  am  indebted  to 
my  dear  friend  the  Count  for  that.  In  all  our  expeditions 
with  Alcibiades,  Justinian  was  absent,  so  he  could  not  have 
personally  seen  me  fighting,  and  I  can  only  think  that  Cal- 
iphronas, to  oust  me  out  of  the  possible  throne,  told  this 
about  me." 

"  I  am  sure  you  are  not  a  coward,"  said  Maurice  warmly. 

"No,  I  don't  think  I  am,"  replied  Crispin  equably.  "I 
fancy  if  Justinian  had  seen  the  storm  he  would  have  changed 
his  opinion  about  Caliphronas ;  but,  as  to  myself,  I  hope  yet 
to  right  myself  in  the  eyes  of  the  old  man.  I  am  glad  you 
have  such  a  good  opinion  of  me,  Maurice." 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  cried  Koylands,  grasping  him  by  the 
hand,  "  I  have  the  best  possible  opinion  of  you  in  every  way, 
and  always  had  !  " 

"Even  when  I  was  a  mystery  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  though  I  own  you  were  puzzling  at  times.  But 
you  are  a  coward  in  one  way,  Crispin." 


242  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

The  poet  flashed  redly,  and  Maurice  hastened  to  finish  his 
sentence. 

"  In  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Dengelton." 

^'  He  would  be  a  bold  man  who  felt  no  fear  in  the  presence 
of  that  lady,"  answered  Crispin,  liis  face  clearing  again.  "  But 
here  comes  Caliphronas  with  a  smiling  face." 

''  A  sign  that  Justinian  has  succeeded." 

The  Greek  advanced  towards  them  with  a  merry  laugh, 
and  looked  triumphantly  at  Maurice,  who  bore  his  insolent 
self-complacency  with  wonderful  composure. 

"  I  will  not  see  you  two  gentlemen  for  a  few  days,"  he 
said  gayly.     "  I  am  going  on  a  cruise  with  Alcibiades." 

"  More  piracy  ?  " 

''  Perhaps,"  answered  Caliphronas  mysteriously.  "  Good- 
by  for  the  present.  I  must  go  down  to  look  after  the  wine, 
and  if  you  go  back  to  the  Acropolis,  tell  Helena  I  will  see 
her  before  1  go." 

With  a  jeering  look  at  Maurice  the  duped  scoundrel  sprang 
down  the  steps,  his  snowy  fustanella  fluttering  in  the  breeze, 
and  he  glittered  down  the  descent  like  a  brilliant  falling 
star. 

"  You  fool  I "  said  a  voice  behind  them,  and  they  turned  to 
behold  Justinian  with  a  complacent  smile  on  his  face. 

''  Well,  you  hav^e  succeeded,  sir,"  observed  Maurice 
doubtfully. 

"  I  have.  Caliphronas  thinks  he  has  it  all  his  own  way. 
I  see  you  don't  yet  like  my  tactics." 

"  Well,  sir  "— 

"  Tush ! "  replied  Justinian  coolly.  "  Punic  foes  —  Punic 
faith!" 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  243 

\  ' 
\ 

CHAPTEK  XXII. 

THE    APPLE    OF    DISCORD. 

A  woman  caused  the  fall  of  man, 

A  woman  caused  the  fall  of  Troy ; 

An  apple  both  these  woes  began, 

Which  brought  beneath  pale  Sorrow's  ban 

All  earthly  joy. 

For  Eve  was  fair,  and  Helen  fair. 
Each  wrought  destruction  by  her  face ; 
They  captured  hearts  in  beauty's  snare, 
And  made  mankind  the  burden  bear 
Of  their  disgrace. 

To-day  the  story  we  repeat : 

A  woman  wins  or  loses  all ; 

She  plucks  the  fruit  for  us  to  eat, 

We  taste  and  find  the  apples  sweet, 

And  then  we  fall. 

The  ill-fated  Eunice  had  been  wrecked  about  the  middle 
of  August,  and  it  was  now  nearly  the  end  of  September, 
close  on  the  celebration  of  the  vintage  feast,  which  Justinian 
determined  to  celebrate  with  great  splendor,  so  as  to  gratify 
Maurice  with  an  accurate  representation  of  the  ancient 
Dionysia  of  Athens. 

Crispin  for  the  moment  had  resumed  his  old  occupation  of 
playwright,  and  had  furbished  up  one  of  his  old  dramas,  not 
having  the  time  to  write  an  absolutely  new  one.  In  this 
play  both  Caliphronas  and  Helena  were  to  take  part,  and  the 
author  himself,  like  a  modern  ^schylus,  acted  as  stage 
manager,  drilling  the  chorus,  arranging  the  scenery,  attend- 
ing to  the  music,  and  coaching  the  principal  actors  in  their 
parts.  The  people  of  Melnos  were  also  busily  preparing  for 
the  vintage  feast  of  the  first  day,  and  for  the  Olympian 
games  of  the  third ;  but  amid  all  these  peaceful  occupations 
Justinian  kept  a  watchful  eye  on  Caliphronas,  and  neglected 
nothing  that  might  guard  the  island  against  a  sudden  assault 


erans:. 


by  Captain  Alcibiades  and  his  5c..xg,. 

Completely  deceived  by  the  manner  of  the  Demarch,  which 
was  Justinian's  local  title  among  his  people,  Caliphronas, 
now  assured  both  of  Helena  and  Melnos,  eagerly  entered  into 
the  plans  of  the  cunning  old  man,  and,  on  returning  from 
a  week's  cruise  with  Alcibiades,  revealed  a  wide-stretching 


244  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTAST. 

conspiracy  among  the  Levantine  Greeks  for  the  capture  of 
Melnos.  Far  and  wide  Alcibiades  with  great  art  had  in- 
stilled a  belief  into  the  minds  of  all  the  idlers,  vagabonds, 
and  scamps  of  the  ^-Egean,  that  jNlelnos  contained  immense 
treasures,  and  weekly,  leaders  of  bands  of  men  repaired  to 
Alcibiades'  rocky  little  island  to  receive  instructions  as  to 
how  their  plans  were  to  be  carried  out.  Of  course,  the  wily 
old  pirate  was  the  leader,  and  arranged  all  his  schemes  in  the 
most  dexterous  manner,  for  he  gave  his  commands  to  those 
chief  men  ^vho  came  to  see  him,  and  they,  returning  to  their 
own  islands,  communicated  such  orders  to  their  own  follow- 
ers. By  this  means  Alcibiades  had  collected  quite  an  army, 
all  eager  for  plunder,  and  they  had  arranged  among  them- 
selves to  attack  Melnos,  either  by  the  tunnel  or  the  western 
pass,  at  the  first  convenient  opportunity. 

It  may  seem  strange  in  the  eyes  of  civilized  people  that 
such  a  conspiracy  should  be  planned  and  carried  out  under 
the  very  nose  of  the  Greek  Government,  but  all  the  opera- 
tions were  conducted  with  great  caution  ;  the  different  por- 
tions of  the  proposed  army  were  scattered  piecemeal  over 
the  islands  of  the  ^gean,  so  there  was  really  nothing  to 
arouse  the  suspicion  of  the  authorities  that  any  revolutionary 
movement  w^as  in  course  of  formation.  Besides,  Melnos 
being  in  the  extreme  south  of  the  Archipelago  and  close  to 
Crete,  that  home  of  Turkish  misrule,  any  local  disturbance 
would  be  taken  comparatively  little  notice  of,  as  such  distur- 
bances were  quite  common  ;  so  it  seemed  as  though  Alcibiades 
and  his  brother  scamps  were  going  to  have  things  all  their 
own  way.  Once  they  captured  and  plundered  Melnos,  they 
had  no  fear  of  the  future,  as,  once  they  dissolved  into  small 
companies  and  returned  to  their  own  islands,  it  would  be 
quite  impossible  for  the  Greek  Government,  even  if  they  did 
interfere,  to  punish  a  body  of  men  which  to  all  appearances 
had  no  existence. 

The  plans  of  Alcibiades  were  very  simple,  for,  having 
arranged  with  the  leaders  of  the  several  bodies  of  men  that 
they  would  join  in  his  schemes,  he  commanded  that  they 
should  all  meet  on  his  own  island  on  a  certain  day,  —  as  yet 
unfixed,  —  when  in  the  aggregate  they  would  number  quite 
three  hundred  men,  and  could  thus  storm  ]Melnos,  which 
could  only  be  defended,  as  they  knew,  by  two  hundred, 
inclusive  of  women.  In  fact,  the  population  of  Justinian's 
island  capable  of  bearing  arms,  even  including  the  English 
sailors   and   his   guests,  scarcely  numbered  more   than   one 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  245 

hundred  and  twenty  men ;  so  when  the  fiery  old  Englishman 
heard  from  Caliphronas  of  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  he  saw 
t^at  the  danger  was  indeed  serious.  _ 

Melnos,  however,  was  strongly  fortified  against  the  inroads 
of  these  ill-armed  pirates,  for  the  tunnel,  defended  by  its 
palisade,  could  hardly  be  forced  if  held  by  a  small  body  of 
resolute  men,  and  the  western  pass  was  commanded  by  two 
pieces  of  ordnance,  one  on  either  side,  which  would  sweep 
down  the  stormers  by  the  score  should  they  attempt  to  carry 
this  natural  entrance  by  assault.  As  to  the  rest  of  the 
island,  it  was  quite  impossible  for  the  marauders  to  climb 
over  the  rugged,  snow-clad  peaks ;  so  what  with  his  cannon, 
defences,  arms  of  the  most  modern  construction,  and  his 
resolute  men,  Justinian  felt  that  he  could  defy  Captain 
Alcibiades  and  his  ill-armed  crew.  ^     ^ 

The  old  Demarch  still  permitted  Caliphronas  to  remain  m 
his  fool's  paradise,  as  matters  were  in  a  delicate  position, 
and  he  resolved  to  wait  until  after  the  three  days'  festival 
before  coming  to  a  perfect  understanding  with  the  treacher- 
ous Greek.  Caliphronas,  therefore,  regarding  himself  as  en- 
tirely favored  by  fortune,  became  almost  unbearable  in  his 
insolence,  and  had  not  Maurice  known  the  real  facts  of  the 
case,  a  serious  quarrel  would  certainly  have  taken  place  be- 
tween them.  As  it  was,  however,  the  young  Englishman 
saw  that  the  Greek  was  completely  duped  by  his  false  pros- 
perity, and  would  almost  have  pitied  his  blind  confidence  _m 
his  good  fortunes,  had  not  the  arrogance,  insolence,  and  spite 
of  the  Count  inspired  him  with  the  utmost  contempt. 

Caliphronas,  indeed,  was  hated  by  every  one  in  the  island : 
by  the  common  people,  owing  to  the  haughtiness  and  scorn 
he  invariably  displayed  towards  them  ;  by  the  English  sailors, 
who  thought  him  a  coward,  and  had  never  forgiven  his 
treachery  on  the  night  of  the  wreck,  which  had  cost  their 
captain  his  life ;  and  by  all  the  inmates  of  the  Acropolis, 
who  despised  this  brilliant  butterfly  heartily.  Quite  un- 
aware of  the  delicate  ground  on  which  he  was  treading,  Cal- 
iphronas, in  his  gorgeous  Albanian  costume,  swaggered  about 
the  place  in  a  most  offensive  manner,  and  quite  assumed  the 
demeanor  of  a  despot,  much  to  the  amusement  of  Justinian, 
who  chuckled  grimly  as  he  saw  the  blind  confidence  of  the 
Greek.  However,  it  was  the  calm  before  the  storm,  and 
everything  went  along  smoothly  enough,  save  for  an  occa- 
sional outbreak  between  Maurice  and  the  Count  about 
Helena,  who  was  a  veritable  apple  of  discord  between  these 
fiery  young  men. 


246  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Helena  herself  disliked  Caliphronas  intensely,  as  she  was 
only  too  well  aware  of  the  mean,  petty  soul  contained  m 
that  splendid  body,  and  his  outward  beauty  had  no  effect 
upon  her,  knowing  as  she  did  what  a  truly  despicable  wretch 
the  man  was.  His  admiration  for  her  was  purely  a  sensual 
one,  for  he  knew  nothing  about  true,  pure  love,  and  all  he 
wanted  was  to  have  this  lovely  woman  to  himself,  to  be  his 
mistress  and  slave.  Doubtless  this  was  the  same  animal 
passion  as  was  cherished  by  Paris,  son  of  Priam,  for  that 
other  Helen,  whose  beauty  could  scarcely  have  been  greater 
than  that  of  her  namesake  of  Melnos  ;  and  Caliphronas  as 
his  Trojan  prototype  was  inspired  by  no  purer  deity  than 
Venus  Pandemos.  When  the  Count  paid  her  compliments, 
Helena  shuddered,  so  instinctively  did  her  virginal  soul  feel 
the  impurity  of  this  persistent  suitor,  and  treated  him  with 
marked  coldness,  much  to  the  anger  of  Caliphronas,  who  com- 
plained bitterly  to  Justinian  of  the  scorn  with  which  his 
advances  were  met. 

"  My  good  Andros,"  said  Justinian  one  day,  when  he  had 
been  inveighing  against  the  caprices  of  women,  "why  do 
you  come  to  me  for  assistance  ?  If  that  handsome  face,  that 
fine  figure,  that  smooth  tongue,  cannot  win  the  affections  of 
a  woman,  nothing  else  will." 

"  I  believe  she  likes  that  Englishman,"  muttered  the 
Greek,  in  no  wise  pleased  at  the  ironical  tone  of  the 
Demarch. 

"  I  am  not  responsible  for  her  likes  and  dislikes,"  retorted 
Justinian  coldly,  although  he  heard  this  remark  with  much 
inward  satisfaction.     "  However,  you  have  my  promise." 

"  And  you  will  keep  it  ?  " 

"  Only  on  condition  that  you  keep  me  informed  of  the 
schemes  of  Alcibiades." 

"  Oh,  I  will  do  that.  I  will  do  anything  to  win  Helena, 
but  if  you  deceive  me,  it  will  be  the  worst  day's  work  you 
ever  did." 

"  There  is  no  necessity  to  threaten  without  cause,"  replied 
Justinian,  bridling  his  anger  at  the  insolence  of  the  Count ; 
"you  will  have  both  Helena  and  Melnos,  but  before  announ- 
cing this  publicly,  I  wish  to  wait  until  after  the  Dionysia." 

"  Very  well,"  answered  Caliphronas,  turning  on  his  heel ; 
"a  week  or  so  will  make  no  difference  to  me.  But  when  I 
am  publicly  acknowledged  as  your  son-in-law  and  successor, 
the  first  thing  I  will  do  will  be  to  turn  Crispin  and  this  inso- 
lent Englishman  out  of  the  island." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  247 

"  Well,  well,  we'll  see  about  that,"  said  Justinian,  with 
great  indifference  ;  "wait  till  after  the  Dionysia." 

After  this  conversation,  Caliphronas  went  away  perfectly 
satisfied  that  everything  was  going  in  his  favor,  which  was 
extremely  foolish,  as  he  might  have  guessed  something  was 
wrong  from  the  unnatural  calmness  of  Justinian.  Formerly 
the  old  Demarch  had  been  given  to  outbursts  of  fiery  wrath 
when  his  will  was  crossed,  however  slightly ;  but  now  he 
bore  the  insolence  of  the  Greek  so  quietly,  that  a  less  astute 
man  than  Caliphronas  would  have  been  placed  on  his  guard 
by  this  unusual  suavity.  The  Count,  however,  blinded  by 
his  good  fortune,  rushed  madly  forward,  unseeing  the  abyss 
yawning  before  him,  and  deemed  that  the  self-restraint  of 
his  proposed  father-in-law  arose  from  the  feebleness  of  age. 
If  he  could  have  seen  the  passion  of  Justinian  when  he  was 
once  more  alone,  he  would  have  changed  his  mind  ;  but  this 
he  was  unaware  of,  and  his  self-conceit  and  egotistical  blind- 
ness kept  him  in  perfect  ignorance  of  the  approaching  storm. 

It  was  with  great  satisfaction  that  Justinian  saw  the  great 
admiration  Maurice  Koylands  had  for  Helena,  and  with  still 
greater,  when  he  noticed  that  his  daughter  was  disposed  to 
look  favorably  on  the  suit  of  the  handsome  young  English- 
man. Helena,  indeed,  in  spite  of  her  real  simplicity,  was  a 
born  reader  of  character,  which  happy  trait  she  inherited 
from  her  father,  as  she  inherited  the  fair  beauty  of  her 
Greek  mother ;  and  the  more  she  saw  of  Maurice,  the  more 
she  lov^ed  him  for  his  kindly  heart,  his  honorable  nature,  and 
the  delicacy  with  which  he  treated  her.  Caliphronas,  confi- 
dent in  his  manly  beauty,  paid  his  addresses  with  the  air 
of  a  conqueror,  —  a  mode  of  wooing  which  no  woman  likes, 
and  Helena  least  of  all,  as  it  fired  her  proud  soul  with  indig- 
nation ;  and  when  she  saw  how  deferential  was  Maurice  in 
his  courting,  she  naturally  enough  preferred  the  dilfident 
Englishman  to  the  over-confident  Greek.  True  daughter  of 
Eve,  however,  she  was,  for,  in  spite  of  her  dislike  to  Cal- 
iphronas, she  could  not  resist  at  times  the  temptation  of 
speaking  kindly  to  him,  in  order  to  arouse  the  jealousy  of 
Maurice.  In  this  she  was  quite  successful ;  and  though 
Eoy lands  could  not  but  deem  her  wise  to  lull  Caliphronas 
into  a  false  security  at  the  present  crisis,  still  he  was  madly 
jealous  of  every  look  she  bestowed  on  the  Greek,  and  the 
two  suitors  were  always  on  terms  of  ill-concealed  enmity 
with  one  another. 

Of  course  Helena  was  quite  ignorant  of  all  her  father's 


248  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

plans,  and  merely  treated  Caliphronas  with  unexpected  kir.d- 
ness  out  of  pure  coquetry,  being  quite  delighted  when  she 
saw  how  such  caprice  annoyed  the  man  she  truly  loved. 
A  woman  may  worship  a  man,  and  look  upon  him  as  the 
sole  object  of  her  adoration,  yet  even  the  wisest,  the  purest, 
the  kindest  woman  cannot  help  teasing  her  god  a  little,  out 
of  sheer  capriciousness.  It  is  playing  with  fire,  certainly, 
and  many  women  burn  their  fingers  at  this  perilous  game 
of  "  I-love-you-to-day-and-you-to-morrow,"  yet  they  will  in- 
dulge in  such  coquettish  triflings,  either  to  make  the  man 
they  love  value  them  the  more,  or  out  of  pure  malicious 
desire  to  see  his  anger.  Women  instinctively  know  that 
what  is  won  with  difficulty  is  more  valued  than  that  which 
is  gained  with  ease ;  and  besides,  it  flatters  a  man  into  think- 
ing he  is  superior  to  his  fellow-creatures  in  fascinations,  when 
he  secures  an  affection  which  has  fluttered  doubtfully  here 
and  there  before  centring  finally  in  his  precious  self.  Think 
you  Cleopatra  would  have  kept  Antony  so  long  her  slave, 
had  she  not  stimulated  his  love  occasionally  by  giving  him 
cause  for  jealousy  ?  By  no  means.  Octavia  was  humble, 
faithful,  true,  and  loving,  so  Marcus  Antonius  grew  weary 
of  such  domestic  virtues,  and  turned  to  Cleopatra,  who  kept 
him  in  a  constant  state  of  alarm  lest  her  fickle  nature  should 
choose  another  lover.  Helena  knew  nothing  of  Cleopatra's 
wiles,  but  she  instinctively  knew  that  the  way  to  win  a  man 
is  to  place  a  prize  almost,  but  not  quite  within  his  reach ; 
so  she  flirted  with  Caliphronas,  and  would  have  flirted  with 
Crispin,  had  he  given  her  a  chance,  yet  cared  more  for  Mau- 
rice, whom  she  thus  tortured,  than  for  all  the  rest  put  to- 
gether. 

To-day  she  was  on  her  best  behavior,  however,  and  was 
seated  with  Maurice  in  the  court,  weaving  a  coronal  of  flowers 
for  her  adornment  at  dinner.  Helena  was  fond  of  wreaths, 
and  rarely  made  her  appearance  at  any  meal  without  a  chap- 
let  of  roses,  or  ivy  and  violets,  or  delicate  white  lilies  adorn- 
ing her  golden  tresses.  Crispin  was  in  his  room,  engaged 
in  writing  his  drama.  Caliphronas  was  holding  the  above- 
mentioned  conversation  with  Justinian ;  and  the  two  young 
people  sat  lazily  in  the  sunshine,  Maurice  smoking  cigarettes, 
and  Helena  weaving  her  wreath  witli  myrtle  and  roses  and 
sweet-smelling  violets. 

The  sun  shone  brightly  on  the  white  marble  court,  with 
its  treasures  of  many-colored  blossoms,  the  fountain  flashed 
like  lire  in  the  lustrous  light,  and  the  white  pigeons  whirl- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  249 

in^  aloft  in  the  cloudless  brilliance  of  the  sky,  at  times 
settled  down  on  the  roof  in  milky  lines  with  gentle  cooings. 
Helena,  with  her  hands  buried  in  flowers  and  many-colored 
ribbons,  was  humming  a  quaint  little  song  of  the  madrigal 
type,  set  to  a  simple,  sweet  melody,  which  rendered  it  very 
charmins:. 


■&• 


*'  Chloe,  take  you  rose  and  myrtle, 
Weave  them  in  a  dainty  fashion, 
Deck  with  such  your  rustic  kirtle, 
They  are  type  of  Colin's  passion. 
For  with  roses  do  I  woo  thee, 
Sue  thee  !  woo  thee  !  woo  thee  !  sue  thee  I 
Hey,  pretty  maiden,  I  come  a-courting, 
Join  me,  I  pray,  in  such  merry,  merry  sporting. 
With  a  fa-la-la-la,  pretty  maiden. 

Colin,  take  you  pansies  only. 

From  your  dream  of  love  awaken, 

Deck  with  such  your  cottage  lonely, 

They  are  type  of  love  forsaken. 

For  with  pansies  do  I  flout  thee, 

Doubt  thee  !  flout  thee  !  flout  thc^.  !  doubt  thee  ! 

Hey,  jolly  shepherd,  come  not  a-courting, 

Joiu  will  I  not  in  such  silly,  silly  sporting, 

With  a  fa-la-la-la,  jolly  shepherd." 

"Where  did  you  learn  that  pretty  song  ?  "  asked  Maurice, 
whom  the  air  struck  as  familiar. 

"  My  father  taught  it  to  me,"  replied  Helena,  putting  her 
head  on  one  side  to  observe  the  effect  of  a  newly  added  rose. 
"  Is  it  not  dainty  ?  Kibbons,  and  silks,  and  flowers,  and 
pipings ;  quite  unlike  the  real  shepherds  and  shepherdesses 
of  Melnos,  but  deliciously  delicate  for  all  that." 

"  I  wonder  where  your  father  picked  it  up  ?  " 

"  Oh,  father  knows  plenty  of  old  tunes,  and  I  am  so  fond 
of  them.     Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"Because,  curiously  enough,  that  song  was  written  by  a, 
Carolean  ancestor  of  mine,  and  I  cannot  think  how  Justiniaa 
came  to  know  it." 

"  It  is  strange,  certainly,"  said  Helena  thoughtfully. 

"  Helena,  who  is  your  father  ? "  asked  Maurice  impul-- 
sively. 

"  Demarch  of  Melnos." 

"  Yes,  I  know  that ;  but  what  is  his  English  name  ?  " 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you,"  replied  Helena,  shaking  her 
pretty  head.  "  I  know  nothing  beyond  that  he  is  Justinian, 
that  I  am  his  daughter,  and  that  this  is  our  island." 


250  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  It's  like  '  The  Tempest/  is  it  not  ?  You  are  Miranda, 
Justinian  Prospero,  and  I  "  — 

"  And  3'ou  ?  ".  queried  Helena,  with  a  slight  blush. 

"  Cannot  you  guess  ?  "  asked  Maurice  significantly. 

The  girl  laughed,  and  looked  down  at  her  flowers. 

"  I  suppose  Ferdinand." 

"  Oh,  you  know  '  The  Tempest ! ' "  said  the  young  man, 
with  some  surprise. 

"  I  know  all  Shakespeare's  plays.  Do  you  think  I  am  so 
very  ignorant  ?  " 

"  I  think  you  are  very  delightful." 

"  Maurice  !  I  thought  English  gentlemen  did  not  pay  com- 
pliments." 

"I  am  the  exception  that  proves  the  rule,"  he  replied 
audaciously.  "  However,  I  might  have  guessed  Justinian 
would  have  an  odd  volume  of  Shakespeare  about  with  him. 
The  Englishman  believes  in  the  Bible  and  Shakespeare,  the 
Englishwoman  in  the  Bible  and  Burke." 

"Who  is  Burke?" 

"  The  man  that  wrote  the  '  English  Peerage.'  " 

"  What  is  a  peerage  ?  " 

"You  have  read  Shakespeare,  and  do  not  know  what  a 
peerage  is  !     Helena,  I'm  ashamed  of  you  !  " 

"  If  you  talk  like  that,  Maurice,  I  will  certainly  not  give 
you  this  rose." 

"  Then  I  won't  talk  like  that ;  so  give  me  the  rose." 

"  Not  yet ;  you  must  win  it  first." 

"  Helena !  you  are  as  hard-hearted  as  the  Chloe  of  your 
song." 

"  Am  I  ?  but  if  I  don't  give  pansies  "  — 

"  Helena ! " 

He  made  a  sudden  movement  towards  her  of  ill-suppressed 
eagerness,  whereupon  she,  having  betrayed  herself  more 
than  she  wished  to  do,  feigned  anger  to  escape  from 
the  declaration  which  she  saw  was  trembling  on  his  lips. 
Why  she  did  this,  it  was  hard  to  say,  as  she  loved  Maurice 
very  much,  and  longed  to  hear  him  tell  of  his  passion,  yet 
she  nipped  his  declaration  in  the  bud.  Why  ?  Ask  a 
woman  to  solve  the  mystery ;  for  it  is  beyond  the  power  of 
any  man  to  unravel. 

"  See  !  "  she  said  playfully  ;  "'  you  have  upset  all  my  flowers. 
Pick  them  up  at  once." 

The  obedient  Maurice  went  down  on  his  knees  before  this 
pretty  tyrant  and  began  to  collect  the  flowers.     The  position 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  251 

was  worse  than  the  words,  so  Helena,  seeing  the  danger, 
hastily  began  to  talk  of  the  first  thing  that  came  into  her 

head.  .     a     -,       o  „ 

"  Talking  about  '  The  Tempest '  —  who  is  Andros  ? 

''  Ariel  for  looks,  Caliban  for  wickedness." 

"And  Crispin?" 

"  Crispin  is  Gonzalo,  the  honest  old  counsellor. 

Helena  made  a  pretty  grimace,  and  ordered  Maurice  back 
to  his  chair,  which  was  at  a  safe  distance,  and  did  not  admit 
of  anv  embarrassing  endearments. 

"  :M^iranda  was  very  fond  of  Ariel,  wasn't  she  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so,  but  she  hated  Caliban.  Do  you  like 
Caliban  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  like  Ariel." 

"  Then  what  about  Ariel-Caliban  —  Caliphronas  ?  "  asked 
Maurice,  vexed  at  her  fencing. 

"  I  can't  bear  him  —  and  yet,"  continued  Helena  reflect- 
ively, with  a  certain  spice  of  malice,  "there  is  something 
nice  about  him." 

"You  can't  bear  him,  and  yet  there  is  something  nice 
about  him  !  "  echoed  Maurice  bitterly.  "  I  don't  understand 
you." 

"  I  don't  understand  myself." 

"  Can  I  explain  you  ? "  asked  Koylands  eagerly,  drawing 
his  chair  a  little  nearer." 

Helena  hesitated,  blushed,  then  made  a  very  irrelevant 
remark. 

"  Tell  me  about  Koylands." 

Maurice  very  nearly  uttered  a  bad  word,  he  was  so  angered 
at  her  coquetry,  but,  thinking  the  best  way  to  pique  her  was 
to  meet  her  with  the  same  weapons  as  she  used,  at  once 
acceded  to  her  request,  much  to  her  secret  dismay. 

"  Stupid  !  "  thought  the  lady. 

"  Flirt !  "  thought  the  gentleman. 

Decidely  these  two  young  people  were  at  cross-purposes. 
"  Roy  lands,"  said  Maurice,  pushing  back  his  chair  into  its 
former  place,  "  is  a  large  park  formerly  owned  by  one  of  the 
Plantagenet  kings." 

"  What  is  a  Plantagenet  king  ?  " 

"  I  shall  have  to  give  you  a  book  of  Mangnall's  Questions 
to  learn,"  said  Roylands  in  despair.  "  Planta  genista  is  the 
Latin  name  for  broom.     Do  you  know  what  broom  is  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  the  mountains  are  sometimes  quite  yellow  with  it. 
Father  told  me  it  was  called  broom." 


252  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Well,  some  of  the  English  kings  used  to  wear  it  in  their 
helmets  as  a  badge,  so  that  is  how  they  got  the  name  of 
Plantagenet." 

"You  are  quite  a  dictionary." 

"  I  am  glad  to  be  so  when  my  pages  are  turned  by  so  fair 
a  hand." 

This  answer  nonplussed  Helena,  and  for  once  she  was  fain 
to  hold  her  peace. 

"The  park,"  resumed  Maurice,  observing  this  with  inward 
satisfaction,  "'  was  given  to  one  of  my  ancestors  by  the  then 
sovereign  of  England,  and  has  been  in  our  family  ever  since." 

"  Is  it  a  pretty  place  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  has  not  the  exquisite  beauty  of  Melnos,  but  it  is 
very  lovely  in  my  eyes." 

"  Is  the  house  like  this  ?  " 

"No;  quite  different.  Such  magnificence  would  not  do 
for  a  poor  country  gentleman  like  myself.  It  is  an  old 
Tudor  house,  built  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII." 

"  I  know  Henry  VIII. ,  "  said  Helena  vivaciously. 

"  Shakespeare,  I  suppose  ?  What  a  charming  way  of 
learning  history !  Yes,  Roylands  Grange  is  a  Henry  VIII. 
house  of  red  brick,  and  is  covered  with  iv}-.  Green  lawns 
with  flower-beds  are  before  the  terrace,  and  the  whole  is 
encircled  by  the  park." 

"  How  lovely  it  must  be,  Maurice  !  And  is  it  all  your 
own  ?  " 

"Yes ;  at  least,  it  is  unless  my  uncle  Rudolph  turns  up." 

"  Your  Uncle  Rudolph  !  " 

"Oh,  that  is  our  one  family  romance.  Rudolph  Roylands 
-was  my  father's  elder  brother,  and  they  were  both  in  love 
with  my  mother.  She  favored  my  father,  Austin,  and  the 
brothers  had  a  quarrel  which  ended  in  blo^vs.  Austin  got 
the  worst  of  it,  and  Rudolph,  thinking  he  had  killed  him, 
fled.  Since  then,  nothing  has  been  heard  of  him,  and  that 
is  quite  forty  years  ago." 

"  But  how  does  this  affect  your  owning  the  Grange  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  only  the  second  branch.  Uncle  Rudolph 
was  the  heir  to  the  Grange,  not  my  father ;  so  if  he  turns  up 
alive,  or  if  he  has  left  heirs,  I  will  have  to  give  up  all  my 
property  to  them." 

"  Would  you  mind  very  much  ?  "  asked  Helena  in  a  pity- 
ing manner. 

"Not  at  all.  I  would  have  once,  but  now  I  have  a  chance 
of  staying  in  this  delightful  island,  I  don't  think  it  would  be 
such  a  great  loss  after  alL" 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  253 

Maurice  had  hardly  said  these  words  when  he  heard  a 
grunt  of  satisfaction  behind  him,  and  on  turning  his  head 
saw  Justinian  standing  beside  liim,  in  company  with  Cali- 
phronas. 

"  So  you  don't  mind  if  you  lose  your  English  property," 
said  the  Demarch  in  a  peculiar  tone. 

"No;  not  when  I  can  stay  here.  Did  you  hear  the  story 
I  was  telling  to  Helena  ?  " 

"Some  of  it.  Do  you  think  your  Uncle  Kudolph  is 
alive?" 

"  Hardly,  after  forty  years." 

'-  What  is  forty  years  to  a  long-living  race  like  the  Eoy- 
lands  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  know  we  are  long  living  ?  " 

"  Why,  you  told  me  so  yourself,"  said  Justinian  hastily ; 
"  but,  after  all,  your  uncle  may  be  alive,  and  claim  the  prop- 
erty, in  which  case  you  will  be  penniless." 

"  Oh,  then,  I  shall  stay  here  as  sculptor  to  your  public 
works." 

The  old  man  laughed  approvingly,  and  nodded  his  head. 

"  I  will  be  glad  of  that.  None  of  my  Greeks  can  sculp- 
ture. It  is  a  lost  art  with  the  Hellenes  since  the  days  of 
Praxiteles." 

"  I  will  make  a  statue  of  Helena  here  as  Venus  Urania." 

"  Better  as  Chloris,"  remarked  Caliphronas,  with  a  forced 
smile,  coming  forward ;  "  Chloris,  the  goddess  of  flowers." 

"  For  that  charming  suggestion,"  cried  Helena,  rising  to 
her  feet,  "  I  will  give  you  a  rose,  Andros  !  " 

"  I  will  treasure  it  as  my  life,"  he  replied  in  a  low,  pas- 
sionate voice,  as  she  fastened  the  flower  in  his  embroidered 
jacket. 

"  What  about  my  rose,  Helena  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  who 
viewed  this  proceeding  with  silent  rage. 

"  Here  is  one  for  you,"  answered  Helena  quickly  ;  "  both 
roses  are  red,  so  you  can't  complain  I  don't  treat  you  fairly." 

"  Perhaps  you  had  better  make  the  roses  white,  in  order 
to  mean  silence,"  said  Caliphronas,  pale  with  anger  as  he 
saw  IMaurice  receive  a  flower  ;  "  the  red  rose  means  love, 
you  know." 

''  Sisterly  love,"  retorted  Helena,  looking  at  him  with  an 
undeniable  frown. 

Caliphronas,  with  a  sudden  outburst  of  rage,  tore  the  flower 
from  his  breast,  flung  it  on  the  pavement,  and  walked  out  of 
the  court  without  a  word.     Helena  in  astonishment  turned 


254  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

to  Maurice,  only  to  find  that  he  also  had  vanished,  but,  with 
more  self-restraint  than  the  Greek,  had  taken  his  rose  with 
him.  Only  Justinian  was  left,  and  he,  looking  sadly  at  his 
daughter,  placed  his  hand  reproachfully  on  her  shoulder. 

"  My  child,"  he  said  reprovingly,  ''  do  not  make  ill  blood 
between  these  two  men  by  your  woman's  wiles.  Ate  flung 
the  apple  of  discord  on  the  table  of  the  gods,  but  it  would 
have  done  no  harm  but  for  woman's  jealousy.  Your  name 
is  Helena:  you  are,  I  doubt  not,  as  fair  as  she  of  Troy,  so 
beware  lest  your  beauty  be  as  fatal  to  Melnos  as  it  was  to 
Ilium." 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

BACCHANALIA. 

Clash  of  cymbals,  beat  of  drum, 
O'er  the  mountain  peaks  we  come, 
Far  from  parched  Hindostan 
To  these  laughing  realms  of  Pan. 
Nymphs  and  satyrs  reel  about, 
Frenzied  in  the  frenzied  rout, 
Crowned  with  ivy,  fir,  and  vine, 
Leading  on  the  god  of  wine. 
Far  and  near,  and  near  and  far, 
Flock  ye  to  his  conquering  car; 
Lo!  he  comes  in  merry  mood. 
O'er  the  hills  and  thro'  the  wood, 
"While  the  startled  Dryads  see 
From  their  trees  our  revelry ; 
As  we  shout  so  loud  and  free, 
lo  Bacche !     Evohe  ! 

"  We  celebrate  the  fete  of  St.  Dionysius  to-day,"  said  Jus- 
tinian, as  they  stood,  in  the  early  morning,  on  the  platform 
of  the  Acropolis,  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Bacchanalian 
band  from  below. 

"  St.  Dionysius  !  "  repeated  Maurice,  with  emphasis.  "  I 
thought  the  gentleman  of  that  name  was  an  Olympian  !  " 

"  He  was,"  interposed  Crispin  before  Justinian  could 
speak  ;  "but  have  you  forgotten  Heine's  account  of  how  the 
heathen  divinities  were  transformed  into  mediaeval  saints. 
St.  Dionysius  is  our  old  friend  Bacchus  in  a  new  guise ; 
Athena  has  given  place  to  the  Virgin  Mary  —  the  Panagia, 
as  they  call  her  in  Attica ;  —  Zeus  is  still  the  Supreme 
Being,  with  awful  locks  and  thunderbolt,  while  Apollo  th^- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  255 

Far-Darter  masquerades  in  classical  adolescence  as  St. 
Sebastian." 

"  And  Venus,  Mr.  Professor  ?  "  asked  Helena,  with  a  gay 
smile. 

"  Venus,"  answered  Crispin,  with  a  })rofound  bow,  "  still 
lives  in  the  iEgean  Seas  as  Helena  of  Melnos." 

"  What  a  charming  compliment ! "  cried  the  girl,  who, 
in  her  plain  white  chiton,  purple-edged  peplum,  and  sil- 
ver-banded hair,  looked  indeed  like  Aphrodite  incarnate. 
"  What  about  Andros  here  ?  " 

"  Hermes  ! " 

Caliphronas,  poising  himself  lightly  on  the  verge  of  the 
staircase,  certainly  was  the  herald  of  Olympus,  the  divinized 
athlete,  the  more  so,  as,  instead  of  his  voluminous  fustanella, 
he  wore  a  simple  tunic  of  fine  white  wool,  which  displayed 
his  line  figure  to  the  greatest  advantage.  His  curls,  yellow 
as  those  of  Achilles,  a  true  Achaian  color,  were  bare,  as  he 
never  wore  a  head  covering  unless  forced  to  do  so,  and  thus, 
stripped  of  all  artificial  aids  to  beauty,  he  looked  the  incar- 
nation of  Hellenism,  the  genius  of  Greece,  ever  fair  and 
blooming  in  eternal  adolescence.  Even  Justinian  was  struck 
with  the  manly  grace  and  perfect  vitality  of  the  young  man, 
yet,  after  an  admiring  glance  at  this  physical  perfection, 
turned  to  Maurice,  and  quoted  a  line  of  Homer,  — 

"  •  Faultlessly  fair  bodies  are  not  always  the  temples  of  a 
godlike  soul.' " 

"  It  is  curious  you  should  say  that,  sir,"  observed  Maurice  ; 
"  for  my  old  tutor,  Mr.  Carriston,  said  the  same  thing  about 
the  same  man." 

"  Carriston  !  "  echoed  Justinian  hoarsely. 

"The  Rev.  Stephen  Carriston,  Rector  of  Roylands," 
replied  Maurice,  amazed  at  this  emotion;  "did  you  know 
him  ?  " 

"  Know  him  ?  "  said  the  Demarch,  with  a  forced  smile ; 
"'no.  I  have  been  absent  from  England  these  many  years. 
Rector  of  Roylands  !  "  he  muttered  in  an  undertone  ;  "  strange, 
strange ! " 

"  What  is  strange  ?  "  asked  Roylands  curiously. 

"Nothing,  nothing!"  answered  Justinian,  turning  away 
with  a  frown.  "I  was  thinking  of  something  which  you 
would  not  understand.  But  here  come  our  Bacchanalians, 
Maurice.     Now  you  will  see  a  glimpse  of  ancient  Hellas." 

Maurice  pondered  over  the  strange  emotion  of  Justinian, 
which  he  found  himself  quite  unable  to  explain,  and,  coming 


256  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

to  the  conclusion  that  the  Demarch  must  have  met  some  one 
of  the  same  name  under  unpleasant  circumstances,  he  dis- 
missed the  subject  from  his  mind  as  trivial,  and  concentrated 
his  attention  on  the  rapidly  approaching  procession. 

Justinian  had  closely  followed  the  old  lines  of  the 
Dionysian  ceremonies,  saving  that  he  expurgated  all  the 
coarser  elements  of  drinking  and  debauchery,  and  during 
the  whole  three  days'  festival,  modelled  on  the  ancient  feasts 
of  Hellas,  Maurice  did  not  espy  one  offensive  thing,  which 
Eould  bring  a  blush  to  the  cheek  of  modesty.  Indeed, 
Helena  and  all  the  women  of  the  island  were  present,  so 
their  mingling  in  the  ceremonies  would  alone  have  prevented 
any  coarseness,  even  without  the  stern  interdiction  of  the 
Demarch;  for  the  Greeks  have  a  great  sense  of  delicacy, 
being  especially  careful  not  to  offend  the  delicacy  of  women 
in  any  way  whatsoever.  This  modern  Bacchanalia,  then, 
represented  the  antique  solemnity,  as  it  was  in  the  earlier 
Attic  days,  before  later  worshippers  defiled  the  rites  of  the 
god  with  their  vile  orgies. 

It  was  a  perfect  day,  but,  as  there  had  been  a  slight  rain- 
fall in  the  morning,  in  the  east  loomed  a  sombre  cloud, 
which,  however,  foreboded  nothing,  as  across  its  darkness, 
like  a  many-hued  scarf,  was  flung  a  splendid  rainbow. 
Helena  caught  sight  of  this  first,  and  clapped  her  hands 
merrily. 

"  Oh,  father,  see  how  red  is  the  rainbow  !  —  that  is  a  good 
sign  for  the  vintage." 

"  How  so  ?  "  asked  Eoylands,  somewhat  puzzled  at  this 
Iris  prophecy. 

"  It  is  an  old  Greek  superstition,"  answered  Justinian, 
smiling  at  his  daughter's  glee ;  "  if  red  prevails  in  the  rain- 
bow, there  will  be  plenty  of  grapes  ;  if  yellow,  a  tine  harvest ; 
and  when  green  it  will  be  a  year  for  olives.  This  one  is 
reddish,  as  you  see,  so  our  Bacchanalia  will  turn  out  success- 
fully." 

In  front  of  the  procession  marched  the  musicians,  men 
playing  on  pipes,  flutes,  drums,  and  goat-skin  sabounas,  a 
kind  of  bagpipe,  while  beside  them  danced  young  ivy- 
crowned  girls,  clashing  cymbals  together.  All  the  men  were 
dressed  in  their  dancing  costumes,  similar  to  that  of  Cali- 
phronas,  save  that  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow  were  repre- 
sented, though  the  women,  still  in  their  loose  white  chitons, 
neutralized  to  some  extent  the  vivid  tints  of  the  male  dresses. 
Behind  the  musicians  came  lads  garlanded  with  wreaths  of 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  257 

intermingled  violets  and  ivy,  bearing  thyrsi.  Afterwards  a 
number  of  maidens,  with  vine-leaf-decorated  amphoras  of 
wine,  baskets  of  iigs,  and  bunches  of  grapes.  A  goat,  with 
a  child  on  its  back,  was  led  by  two  elderly  women  waving 
pine  branches.  Then  came  the  elders  of  the  village,  in  white 
robes,  with  tall  linen  mitres,  followed  by  a  joyous  band  of 
young  men,  profusely  bedecked  with  flowers,  who  capered 
round  a  sedate  ass,  on  which  rode  the  wit  of  the  village, 
representing  Silenus.  An  empty  chariot,  drawn  by  goats  as 
a  substitute  for  panthers,  then  appeared,  and  m  this  was  to 
be  installed  the  Count,  who  undertook  the  role  of  Bacchus. 
The  procession  finally  closed  with  the  ten  sailors  walking 
two  abreast,  their  stiff  march  contrasting  strangely  with  the 
acrobatic  dancing  and  careless  grace  of  their  fellow  revellers. 

Arriving  at  the  foot  of  the  steps,  the  chief  elder  made  a 
speech  in  sonorous  Greek,  in  which  he  invited  Justinian  and 
his  friends  to  come  down  to  the  village  festival,  and  bring 
good  fortune  to  the  vintage.  Justinian  graciously  accepted 
the  invitation,  and,  in  company  with  his  guests,  placed  him- 
self in  the  rear  of  the  procession  ;  while  Caliphronas,  who 
had  been  crowned  with  vine  leaves,  arrayed  in  a  leopard  skin, 
and  bearing  a  pine-cone  tipped  sceptre,  sprang  into  his  chariot 
with  a  laughing  glance,  as  the  revellers  saluted  him  — 
"  Evohe  Bacche  ! " 

Back  to  the  head  of  the  grand  staircase  returned  the  pro- 
cession, with  its  wild  music  and  merry  dancers,  while  the 
god,  lightly  brandishing  his  sceptre,  looked  benignly  on  his 
motley  crew.  Some  had  fawn  skins,  all  were  crowned,  and 
before  the  procession  ran  children  strewing  the  road  with 
flowers,  while  the  company  sang  songs  in  praise  of  St. 
Dionysius,  whom  Caliphronas  was  supposed  to  represent, 
rather  than  the  genuine  son  of  Semele.  Silenus,  by  his 
drunken  gestures,  and  difficulty  in  keeping  his  seat,  evoked 
roars  of  laughter,  and  was  quite  the  hero  of  the  hour. 

"  I  never  did  see  sich  tomfoolery,"  growled  Gurt,  who  was 
enjoying  himself  hugely;  "this  Baccus  is  all  tommy  rot. 
Like  a  Lor'  Mayor's  show  it  is." 

"Oh,  it's  a  great  spree,"  said  Dick  cheerfully,  who  was 
Gurt's  companion  in  the  march.  "  Ain't  these  girls  like  the 
ballet  at  the  Alhambra  ?  " 

"  Never  was  there,"  growled  Gurt,  who,  when  not  absent 
from  England,  generally  remained  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  docks ;  "  but  I'm  blessed  if  I  ever  did  hear  sich  music, 
with  their  Hi  ho  Baccus  !     Who's  Baccus  ?  " 


258  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  The  god  of  wine." 

"  I  wish  he  was  the  god  of  rum,"  said  the  old  toper ;  "  for 
this  'ere  sour  stuff  as  th'  give  us  is  'nough  to  give  us  all  cold 
in  our  insides.     Lor',  wot  music !     Let's  give  'em  a  shanty." 

"  The  skippers  might  not  like  it,"  objected  Dick  anxiously. 

"Oh,  they  don't  mind.  I  ain't  going  to  let  these  coves 
have  it  all  their  own  way."  Whereupon  Gurt,  in  a  raucous 
voice,  struck  up,  "  Kule,  Britannia,"  much  to  the  amusement 
of  Justinian.  His  messmates  joined  in  the  chorus,  and 
though  the  wild  orgiastic  music  still  continued,  it  was  almost 
drowned  in  the  lusty  chorus  of  "Britons  never  shall  be 
slaves,"  roared  out  by  ten  pairs  of  lusty  lungs. 

The  chariot  of  the  god  had  perforce  to  be  left  at  the  head 
of  the  staircase,  and  Caliphronas,  descending,  led  the  way 
down  to  the  valley,  followed  by  all  his  barbaric  crew.  Shrill 
sounded  the  pipes,  loud  clashed  the  cymbals,  and  the  bright 
sunshine  shone  on  as  merry  a  company  of  wine-worshippers 
as  ever  it  did  in  the  Athens  of  ^-Eschylus. 

The  vineyards  of  Melnos  were  planted  on  the  sides  of  the 
mountain,  where  they  rose  terrace  by  terrace  nearly  up  to 
the  dark  pine  woods,  which  divided  the  vegetation  from  the 
snow  with  a  broad  green  band.  A  wine-press  was  placed  in 
nearly  every  one  of  these  vinej^ards,  but  the  place  where  the 
ceremonies  were  to  take  place  lay  near  to  the  theatre,  and 
was  a  particularly  large  enclosure,  filled  with  long  straggling 
vines,  in  the  centre  of  which  a  huge  whitewashed  tank,  piled 
with  purple  grapes,  stood  ready  to  be  tramped  out  to  the 
lower  tank  into  which  the  juice  flowed. 

Justinian  and  his  guests  were  conducted  to  a  kind  of  raised 
dais,  on  which  were  placed  seats  tastefully  wreathed  Avith 
flowers,  the  most  elaborate  of  all  being  reserved  for  Cali- 
phronas, who,  as  the  presiding  deity  of  the  feast,  ranked  for 
the  day  higher  than  the  lord  of  .the  island.  The  scene  was 
singularly  picturesque :  far  above,  piercing  the  blue  sky, 
arose  the  snowy  peaks,  lower  down  the  pine  forests,  then 
fields  of  yellow  corn,  divided  by  belts  of  gray  olive  trees  and 
grape-laden  vineyards,  while  the  near  slopes  near  the  scene 
of  the  festival  were  covered  with  red-berried  mastic  bushes, 
delicate  white  cyclamens,  rose-blossomed  oleanders,  pome- 
granate trees,  and  beds  of  strongly-scented  thyme,  filling  the 
still  warm  air  with  aromatic  odors.  Amid  all  this  beauly 
were  the  Bacchanalians  with  their  many-colored  garbs,  the 
whiteness  of  the  women's  dresses  predominating,  and  the 
whole  laughing  throng  swaying,  leaping,  whirling,  bounding, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  259 

gyrating  to  the  wild  music,  shrill  and  plaintive  as  the  wind, 
of  their  rude  instruments.  In  such  a  vineyard  might  Diony- 
sius  appear  to  some  modern  ^schylus,  and  command  him  to 
kindle  anew,  with  the  breath  of  genius,  the  fire  of  the  ancient 
goat-song,  with  its  solemn  splendors,  gigantic  scenes,  and 
majestic  figures  of  god,  goddess,  and  hero. 

As  a  rule,  the  vintage  of  the  insular  Greeks  begins  early 
in  August,  but  this  year,  for  some  unexplained  reason,  the 
grapes  had  ripened  slowly,  hence  the  Melnosians  feared  a 
bad  year  of  the  vine,  and  were  much  delighted  to  find  that 
it  was  one  of  the  most  prolific  ever  known,  a  fact  which  was 
further  confirmed  in  their  eyes  by  the  prophetic  red  of  the 
rainbow. 

Papa  Athanasius,  the  priest  of  the  island,  arrayed  in  the 
gorgeous  sacerdotal  vestments  of  his  Church,  now  came  for- 
ward, surrounded  by  a  number  of  acolytes,  bearing  censers 
and  sacred  ichons,  in  order  to  pronounce  a  blessing  on  the 
first-fruits  of  the  vine  year.  The  ceremony  did  not  last  long, 
and  at  its  conclusion  the  Papa  retired,  while,  amid  cries  of 
rejoicing  and  noisy  music,  a  dozen  men  with  bare  feet  sprang 
into  the  vat  and  began  to  tread  the  grapes.  Their  white 
tunics  and  naked  feet  were  soon  stained  red  with  the  juice 
of  the  vine,  which  shortly  afterwards  began  to  gush  freely 
into  the  lower  vat,  amid  the  songs  of  the  onlookers.  Soon 
afterwards  cups  of  last  year's  wine  were  passed  round  to  all 
present,  and,  though  the  Greeks  as  a  rule  are  a  very  temper- 
ate people,  yet  the  thin,  sour  liquor  speedily  rendered  them 
slightly  intoxicated,  and  the  singing  became  more  vociferous 
than  ever. 

"  I  hope  they  will  give  us  some  national  dances,"  said 
Maurice  to  Plelena,  who  sat  beside  him  —  who  looked  lovely 
as  the  Queen  of  Love  herself. 

"Indeed  they  will!"  she  answered  vivaciously:  "you 
will  see  the  syrtos,  which  has  a  good  deal  of  the  Pyrrhic  dance 
in  its  steps ;  the  moloritis,  in  which  Zoe,  Andros,  Crispin, 
and  myself  will  take  part.  Then  there  is  the  dancing  on  the 
slippery  wine-skin,  which  is  very  amusing.  See,  this  is  the 
syrtos !  " 

A  party  of  young  men  in  their  tight-fitting  white  dancing- 
costumes  now  came  forward,  saluted  Caliphronas  as  the 
master  of  the  revels,  and,  placing  their  arms  round  one  an- 
other's necks,  began  to  sway  slowly  backward  and  forward, 
with  a  kind  of  mazourka  step,  to  the  inspiriting  music  of 
tabor  and  pipe.     These  evolutions  increased  in  rapidity,  and 


260  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

were  interspersed  with  wild  acrobatic  boundings  by  single 
dancers,  until  Maurice  became  quite  giddy  watching  their 
whirlings. 

Afterwards  the  women,  linked  together  with  handker- 
chiefs, in  order  to  make  the  line  more  flexible,  danced  grace- 
fully to  a  slow  melody,  with  frequent  genuflexions  of  the 
body  and  bendings  of  the  head. 

"  Greek  dances  are  rather  monotonous,  I  am  afraid,"  said 
Roylands,  who  found  this  incessant  swaying  a  trifle  weari- 
some. "Why  don't  the  men  and  women  dance  with  one 
another  ?  " 

"  They  do  sometimes,  as  in  the  moloritis,"  replied  Helena, 
rising  from  her  seat.  "  We  will  dance  it  now,  and  I  think 
you  will  like  it  better  than  the  syrtos." 

It  was  a  graceful  dance,  and  the  music  was  more  melo- 
dious. First,  the  four  people  danced  together,  then  sepa- 
rateh^,  and  finally  Crispin  and  Caliphronas  indulged  in  wild 
saltatory  leapings,  while  Helena  and  Zoe  stood  still,  swaying 
from  side  to  side,  like  nautch  dancers. 

"  I  think  a  waltz  would  be  jollier  than  that,"  said  Maurice, 
when  she  returned  to  her  seat. 

"  A  waltz  !  what  is  that  ?  "  asked  Helena  innocently. 

"  I  will  show  you  some  time  during  the  day  —  that  is,  if 
we  can  get  any  one  to  play  us  the  music." 

"  Oh,  Andronico,  that  old  man  with  the  violin,  can  pick  up 
anything  by  ear.  But  see,  we  are  now  going  to  have  some 
singing!  " 

A  handsome  young  fellow  stepped  forward,  escorted  by  a 
number  of  women,  who  joined  in  the  chorus  of  the  song, 
which  was  in  praise  of  Dionysius  and  the  vineyards.  Maurice, 
owing  to  the  skilful  tuition  of  Helena,  now  knew  enough 
Greek  to  understand  the  words,  which,  irregularly  translated, 
were  as  follows  :  — 

Solo. 

Oh,  my  love,  we  went  to  the  vineyards, 

And  there  beheld  bunches  of  purple  wine  fruit, 

Full  of  the  milk  of  earth  our  mother. 

Women, 
Wine,  like  thee,  is  my  heart-gladdener. 

Solo. 

Thro'  the  vine  leaves  peeped  St.  Dionysius, 

Who  laughed  when  he  heard  the  sound  of  our  kisses: 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  261 

"These  are  not  mad  with  wine," 

So  cried  St,  Dionysius; 

'*  Not  with  wine  are  they  mad,  but  with  love  and  kisses." 

Women. 
Wine,  like  thee,  is  my  heart-gladdener. 

There  were  about  twenty  verses  of  this  delectable  song, 
interlarded  at  times  with  the  rude  music  of  the  sabouna. 
Maurice  grew  tired  of  this  dreariness,  and  went  off,  in  com- 
pany with  Helena,  to  where  the  feasting  was  going  on. 
Tables  were  spread  out  in  the  open  air  with  cheeses,  bread, 
honey,  goats'  flesh,  piles  of  grapes,  and  other  rustic  dainties, 
to  which  the  hungry  revellers  were  doing  full  justice.  Some 
of  them  were  dancing  the  Smyriote,  others  singing  intermi- 
nable songs ;  but  Roy  lands  by  this  time  had  quite  enough  of 
Greek  dance  and  song,  so  asked  Helena  to  show  him  the  hot 
springs,  which  were  near  at  hand. 

They  were  at  the  base  of  a  little  cliff,  volcanic  in  character, 
with  curiously-twisted  streaks  of  red,  green,  and  black  lava, 
which  presented  a  bizarre  appearance.  The  water,  owing  to 
the  presence  of  oxide  of  iron,  was  of  a  yellow  tint  and  boil- 
ing hot,  while  occasional  puffs  of  steam  rising  skyward  veiled 
the  variegated  tints  of  the  rock  behind,  so  that  it  looked 
strangely  weird  and  horrible. 

"  I  wonder  you  are  not  afraid  to  live  here,  Helena  ! "  said 
the  Englishman,  going  down  on  his  knees  to  examine  these 
^gean  geysers.  "  I  don't  believe  this  crater  is  an  extinct 
one." 

"It  has  been  quiet  enough  for  over  a  thousand  years," 
replied  the  girl  carelessly,  "so  I  don't  see  why  it  should 
break  out  now." 

"  If  it  did,  the  loss  of  life  would  be  terrible." 

"  Oh,  don't,  Maurice  !  The  idea  is  too  frightful.  Why,  not 
one  of  us  would  escape  alive,  and  then  good-by  to  father's 
idea  of  a  new  Athens." 

"  Your  new  Athens  has  other  things  to  fear  besides  volca- 
noes." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"That  if  Caliphronas  is  appointed  your  father's  heir,  it 
were  better  for  this  crater  to  become  full  of  seething  lava 
once  more,  than  the  hot-bed  of  scoundrels  such  as  that  scamp 
will  surely  make  it." 

"  I  don't  think  you  need  be  afraid  of  that,"  replied  Helena, 
with  great  scorD ;  "  Andros  is  not  likely  to  rule  Melnos." 


262  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  You  don't  like  him  ?  " 

"  I  hate  him  !  " 

"  And  why  ?     He  is  very  handsome." 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  a  woman  likely  to  be  taken  with  mere 
good  looks  in  a  man?"  she  answered,  with  an  angry  light 
in  her  eyes.  "  I  thought  you  knew  me  better  than  that, 
Maurice." 

''  Forgive  me,  Helena ;  but  indeed  I  am  glad  you  do  not 
like  Caliphronas." 

Helena  knew  the  reason  of  this  pointed  remark,  and,  look- 
ing down  with  a  blush,  was  about  to  reply,  when  the  man 
they  were  talking  about  came  quickly  along  the  narrow  path, 
with  a  savage  scowl  on  his  handsome  face. 

"  Helena,  your  father  is  asking  for  you,"  he  said  abruptly. 

"  Oh,  I  will  go  at  once,"  replied  the  girl  lightly,  in  order 
to  conceal  her  confusion;  and  rapidly  left  the  spot,  where 
Caliphronas  still  remained  looking  angrily  at  Maurice. 

The  Englishman  saw  that  the  Count  was  in  a  terrible  rage, 
and  ready  to  overwhelm  him  with  invective,  but,  neverthe- 
less, was  not  sorry  to  come  to  a  complete  understanding  with 
this  treacherous  scamp,  who  had  no  regard  for  truth,  honor, 
or  daring.  Caliphronas  was  a  thorough  bully  by  nature  ; 
and,  having  succeeded  in  browbeating  his  own  countrymen 
by  arrogance,  thought  he  would  try  the  same  plan  with 
Maurice,  quite  unaware  that  the  seemingly  easy-going  young 
man  was  made  of  sterner  stuff  than  yielding  Hellenes,  and 
would  hold  his  own  against  all  odds  with  true  British  dogged- 
ness. 

"  Well,  Bacchus,"  said  Maurice,  trying  to  pass  the  matter 
off  lightly  at  first,  ^'  why  have  you  deserted  your  revellers  ?  " 

"To  punish  a  scoundrel,"  burst  out  the  furious  Greek, 
stamping  his  foot. 

i\Iaurice  looked  around  serenely  ;  and  then,  sitting  down 
on  a  block  of  black  lava,  streaked  with  sulphur,  began  to  roll 
a  cigarette,  which  innocent  proceeding  irritated  Caliphronas 
beyond  all  powers  of  self-control. 

"•  Do  you  hear  me?"  he  cried,  mad  with  rage.  "I  came 
here  to  punish  a  scoundrel  !  " 

In  a  quarrel  the  victory  is  generally  to  him  who  keeps  his 
temper,  as  Maurice  knew  very  well;  so,  in  this  case,  the 
more  enraged  grew  the  Greek,  the  calmer  became  the  Eng- 
lishman. 

"  So  I  see,"  he  replied  phlegmatically  ;  "  but,  as  I  see  no 
scoundrel  here  but  yourself,  I  hardly  understand  you." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  263 

"Understand  this,  Mr.  Maurice — you  are  the  scoundrel !  " 

"Really!"  said  Roylands,  lighting  his  cigarette  with  pro- 
voking coolness  ;  "  and  your  reason  for  applying  such  a  name 
to  me  ?  " 

''You  make  love  to  the  lady  who  is  to  be  my  wife." 

"  I  was  not  aware  your  offer  of  marriage  had  been  accepted." 

''  I  have  her  father's  consent." 

"  True  ;   but  you  have  not  the  lady's  consent." 

"  Bah !  what  of  that  ?  Women  and  dogs  are  born  to 
obey." 

''  My  dear  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas,"  said  Maurice 
deliberately,  "you  have  called  me  a  scoundrel,  for  which 
epithet,  coming  from  a  despicable  wretch  like  yourself,  I  care 
nothing.  But  if  you  dare  to  speak  disrespectfully  of  Miss 
Helena,  I  will  certainly  throw  you  into  that  boiling  spring 
over  there." 

The  Greek  was  young,  strong,  and  athletic,  and  could 
doubtless  have  held  his  own  against  the  Englishman  to  a 
considerable  extent,  —  although  he  would  have  been  beaten  in 
the  end,  owing  to  his  ignorance  of  boxing,  an  art  in  which 
Maurice  excelled,  —  but  so  craven  was  his  soul  that  he  did 
not  dare  to  resent  this  calmly  insulting  speech,  but  merely 
stood  his  ground,  quivering  with  fury. 

"  Va!^^  he  hissed  through  his  clinched  teeth,  and  shaking 
five  fingers  at  Maurice,  which  is  about  the  strongest  impreca- 
tion a  Greek  can  use.  "  I  wall  be  even  with  you,  pig,  English 
as  you  are  ! " 

"I  see  you  want  pitching  into  that  stream,"  replied 
Maurice,  rising.  "  You  dare  to  apply  such  another  epithet 
to  me,  and,  as  sure  as  I  stand  here,  in  you  go." 

Caliphronas  trembled  with  mingled  fear  and  rage,  for  he 
had  seen  the  man  before  him  box  with  Boatswain  Dick,  and 
knew  he  had  but  small  chance  against  such  pugilistic  science. 
He  was  as  careful  of  his  beauty  as  a  lady,  and  dreaded  lest 
some  sledge-hammer  blow  should  mar  his  perfect  features, 
therefore  he  deemed  it  wise  to  restrain  his  temper,  and 
laughed  derisively. 

"Bah!  to-day  for  you,  to-morrow  for  me,"  he  said  jeer- 
ingly.  "  You  cannot  hold  yourself  against  the  future  ruler 
of  Melnos.  I  will  have  the  island  and  Helena  !  You  will 
have  nothing." 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  of  that,  Caliphronas  !  I  don't  want 
Melnos,  but  I  certainly  do  want  Helena,  and  shall  certainly 
refuse  to  give  her  up  without  a  struggle." 


264  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

^^Try!"  sneered  the  Greek,  snapping  his  fingers  under 
Eoyland'S  nose  ;  "  try  !  " 

Hitherto  Maurice  had  kept  his  temper  well  under  con- 
trol;  but  this  last  insult  was  too  much,  so,  lifting  up  the 
light  frame  of  the  Greek  in  his  athletic  grasp,  in  spite  of  his 
struggles,  he  calmly  sent  him  splash  into  the  nearest  pool, 
which  was  fortunately  but  tepid  in  character,  otherwise  the 
Count  might  have  run  a  chance  of  being  parboiled. 

"  Next  time  you  dare  to  use  your  vile  tongue  on  me,  I  will 
sling  you  down  the  grand  staircase,"  said  Maurice  quietly  ; 
then,  without  waiting  to  hear  the  bad  language  of  his  enemy, 
calmly  strolled  away  towards  the  scene  of  the  festival, 
smoking  with  great  enjoyment. 

Caliphronas,  considerably  cowed,  crawled  out  of  the  pool, 
looking  like  a  drowned  rat ;  and  few  would  have  recognized 
in  this  despicable  object  the  daring,  handsome  Hermes  of 
the  morning.  Had  he  possessed  a  knife,  he  would  certainly 
have  pursued  Maurice,  and  done  his  best  to  kill  him ;  but, 
being  without  a  weapon,  he  had  a  wholesome  dread  of  the 
Englishman's  fists,  so,  swallowing  his  rage  for  the  time 
being,  went  off  in  search  of  dry  garments. 

As  Maurice  approached  the  vineyard,  he  heard  shouts  of 
laughter,  and  found  it  was  owing  to  the  latest  amusement, 
that  of  dancing  on  the  slippery  surface  of  a  skin  of  wine,  — 
a  pastime  as  old  as  the  days  of  the  Dionysia  itself.  Many 
skilful  dancers  fell  off;  and  it  was  long  before  any  one 
succeeded  in  carrying  off  the  prize,  which  was  the  skin  of 
wine  itself ;  but  ultimately  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  handsome 
young  Palikar  who  had  sung  the  song  about  St.  Dionysius. 

Helena  looked  apprehensively  at  him  when  he  appeared, 
as  she  was  afraid  there  had  been  a  quarrel  between  her  two 
suitors ;  but  Maurice  calmed  her  fears  by  a  smile,  and 
together  they  watched  a  sailor's  hornpipe  danced  by  Dick  to 
the  music  supplied  by  old  Andronico,  who  had  picked  up  the 
air  from  Gurt's  whistling. 

Justinian  was  in  ecstasies  over  the  dance,  and  made  Dick 
sing  some  sea-songs,  which,  with  the  rude  but  tuneful  chorus 
of  his  messmates,  made  the  old  man's  eyes  flash  with  patri- 
otic fire. 

"I'm  only  Greek  on  the  surface,  you  see,"  he  said  to 
Crispin,  with  a  somewhat  sad  smile  ;  "  but  my  heart  is  Eng- 
lish still." 

"  Hearts  of  oak  !  "  re})lied  Crispin  gayly.  "  After  all, 
there  is  no  place  like  England  ;  for  you  see  Melnos,  with  all 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  265 

its  tropical  loveliness,  is  still  unsatisfying  when  memories  of 
white-cliffed  Albion  awaken  in  your  heart." 

"  Bravo,  Crispin ! "  cried  Maurice,  who  had  heard  this 
speech ;  "  you  are  a  trne  patriot,  and  must  confirm  your 
views  by  singing  '  Home,  sweet  Home.'  " 

Crispin,  nothing  loath,  did  so  ;  and  the  Greeks,  attracted 
by  the  beautiful  air,  crowded  round  to  listen.  The  darkness 
was  falling  fast,  for  the  long  day  was  nearly  at  an  end,  and 
through  the  still  night  sounded  the  liquid  notes  of  a  cock 
nightingale  calling  to  his  mate  ;  but  higher  than  the  voice 
of  the  bird  arose  that  tender  old  melody,  which  brings  tears 
to  the  eyes  of  those  absent  from  their  own  fireside.  Justin- 
ian, leaning  his  white  head  on  his  hand,  listened  intently ; 
and  when  the  song  was  ended,  Maurice  could  have  sworn  in 
the  dim  light  that  a  sudden  tear  flashed  like  a  jewel  down 
his  withered  cheek.  It  was  extraordinary  to  see  this  man 
of  iron,  astute,  keen  ruler  as  he  was,  so  touched  by  the 
simple  little  song,  which  he  had  heard  perchance  at  his 
mother's  knee ;  and  from  that  moment  Maurice  always 
believed  in  Justinian,  whom  he  was  certain  must  have  a 
good  heart,  when  so  affected  by  that  pleading  air. 

Torches  were  now  brought,  the  wild  music  burst  out  anew, 
and  the  revellers  prepared  to  escort  their  Demarch  back  to 
the  Acropolis.  Caliphronas,  apparently  as  merry  as  ever, 
made  his  appearance  in  new  clothes,  and  resumed  his  sceptre 
and  vineleaf  crown.  Along  the  street  danced  the  procession, 
with  clash  of  cymbal  and  throb  of  drum  ;  torches  flaring  in 
the  windless  air  on  the  excited  faces  of  their  bearers ;  and  it 
was  like  a  confused  dream,  with  the  flash  of  white  robes, 
the  tossing  red  lights,  the  barbaric  pomp,  and  the  swaying, 
restless,  dancing  crowd. 

At  the  foot  of  the  grand  staircase  Maurice  burst  out 
laughing. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Crispin, who  walked  near  him. 

"  I  am  thinking  of  Caliphronas,  whom  I  flung  into  one  of 
the  hot  springs." 

''  The  deuce  you  did  !     It's  a  pity  he  was  not  drowned." 

"  He  is  not  born  to  be  drowned,"  retorted  Roylands  sar- 
donically;  "he  is  born  to  be  hanged." 

At  the  Acropolis  the  Bacchanalians  left  them ;  and  they 
saw  the  long  procession  stream  like  a  serpent  of  light  along 
the  road,  down  the  staircase,  with  glimmer  of  white  robes 
and  distant  sounds  of  mirth.  A  last  flash  of  innumerable 
torches,  a  last  burst  of  frenzied  mirth,  then  darkness  and 
q^uiet  —  the  Dionysia  was  ended. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 
CHAPTER   XXIV. 

THESPIAN. 

The  silver}'  smoothness  of  sweet  Sophocles, 
The  rolling  thunder  of  ^schylean  verse, 
The  subtle  twistiugs  of  Euripides 

To  prove  the  better  reason  by  the  worse;  — 
Such  poets  gained  the  light  Athenian's  praise 
By  daring  dealings  with  the  universe, 

And  yearly  won  the  envied  crown  of  bays ; 

But  not  on  Attic  shores  alone,  —  for  we 

Yet  know  their  greatness  in  these  modern  days, 

In  alien  lands  across  the  stormy  sea, 

Where  with  much  painful  learning  do  we  dare 

In  pristine  splendor  to  revive  the  three. 

Till,  foiled  by  antique  genius  high  and  rare, 
We  quit  the  task  with  unalloyed  despair. 

The  theatre  of  ^lelnos  was  crowded  the  next  day  to  wit- 
ness the  one  performance  of  the  year,  and  the  whole  semi- 
circle of  seats  was  occupied  by  a  chattering  throng,  resembling, 
doubtless,  the  gossip-loving  Athenians  of  old.  All  were  in 
gala  dresses,  the  men  brilliant  in  Albanian  costumes  of 
fustanelli,  embroidered  jackets,  gaudy  gaiters,  and  vivid  red 
silk  sashes  ;  while  the  women,  in  accordance  with  the  edict 
of  the  Demarch,  still  wore  their  graceful,  antique  robes  of 
white  ;  indeed,  the  male  bird  here  had  the  more  splendid 
plumage  of  the  two,  but  what  the  female  lacked  in  color,  she 
made  up  for  in  grace.  The  population  of  ]\relnos  were, 
indeed,  fine  specimens  of  humanity,  as,  owing  to  the  selective 
genius  of  Justinian,  none  but  the  physically  perfect  were 
admitted  to  the  privileges  of  the  island,  and  in  the  case  of 
births  he  exercised  an  almost  Spartan  rigor.  Certainly  he 
departed  so  far  from  the  laws  of  Lycurgus  as  to  permit  any 
child  born  with  a  blemish  to  live,  but  it  was  sent  away  from 
Melnos  at  the  moment  of  its  birth,  and  provided  for  else- 
where. In  consequence,  therefore,  of  this  untiring  care  in 
such  matters,  the  Melnosians  were  all  strong,  healthy,  and 
beautiful ;  while  their  constant  out-door  life  and  con<j^enial 
occu})ations  kept  them  in  a  wonderfully  vitalized  condition, 
which  was  eminently  calculated  to  form  a  race  as  i)hysically 
perfect  in  form  and  health  as  is  possible  on  this  earth. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  267 

"I  am  a  great  believer  in  the  mens  sana  in  corpore  sano 
theory,"  said  the  Demarch  to  Maurice,  who  sat  beside  him. 
"  The  first  law  of  this  new  Athens  is,  that  all  the  citizens 
shall  be  healthy  in  every  way ;  and  the  body  being  thus  per- 
fected by  degrees,  who  knows  but  what  the  intellect  may 
not  ripen  the  sooner  to  the  first-fruits  of  genius  ?  " 

"  Is  that  not  rather  against  the  Homeric  line  you  quoted 
the  other  day,  sir  ? "  observed  Maurice  thoughtfully.  ••  I 
mean  as  regarding  Caliphronas ;  he  is  physically  perfect, 
thoroughly  healthful,  and  yet  you  can  hardly  call  him  intel- 
lectual.'' 

"Andros,"  said  Justinian  emphatically,  ^'is  not  a  true 
Greek,  but  a  mongrel  from  the  island  of  that  name,  where  I 
found  him  a  shepherd  lad.  I  have  no  faith  in  mixed  races, 
as  their  genius,  if  they  have  any,  is  apt  to  be  confusing.  We 
English  are  essentially  a  mixed  race,  therefore  our  literature, 
although  marked  by  great  versatilit}^,  lacks  that  dominant 
note  which  denotes  the  special  characteristic  of  a  pure- 
blooded  race.  Look  at  the  Jew  and  the  Hellene,  which  are, 
perhaps,  the  sole  examples  of  unmixed  blood  w^e  have,  —  at 
least  in  the  West,  —  and  you  will  see  that  their  works  of 
genius,  however  different  in  outward  form,  are  still  instinct 
with  the  individuality  of  their  particular  race-nature.  The 
Psalms  of  David,  the  tragedies  of  the  Greek  dramatists,  could 
only  have  been  written  by  men  of  unmixed  blood,  steeped  in 
the  color  of  their  peculiar  branch  of  the  human  family." 

"  What  about  Shakespeare  .?  " 

"  None  but  a  mixed  race  could  have  produced  an  all-com- 
prehensive mind  like  his ;  and  though  you  may  perhaps 
think  me  narrow  in  desiring  the  formation  of  pure-blooded 
nations,  which  may  be  barren  of  such  versatile  genius,  yet, 
believe  me,  Maurice,  every  plant  should  bear  its  own  natural 
flowers.  Now,  my  Melnosians  have  been  carefully  selected 
from  the  most  untainted  blood  of  the  insular  Greeks,  who 
are  the  real  survivors  of  the  old  Attic  stock.  I  allow  no 
mixed  marriages  —  I  protect  them  from  all  outward  influ- 
ence—  I  encourage  them  to  develop  their  inherent  charac- 
teristics of  race,  so,  in  all  human  probability,  they,  in  years 
to  come,  will  produce  a  blossom  of  genius  entirely  their 
own." 

"  Is  that  not  rather  a  hot-house  forcing  style  ?  " 

"Well,  yes  ;  but  such  artificiality  is  needed  in  these  days 
of  easy  communication  and  cosmopolitan  races.  The  tribes 
of  mankind  are  not  uow  isolated  each  from  each  as  in  former 


268  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

times,  when  that  very  isolation  forced  them,  uninfluenced  by 
contact  with  alien  tribes,  to  develop  their  own  special  race- 
nature  in  literature,  music,  and  art.  Mixed  races  produce 
mixed  results,  splendid,  I  own,  in  many  cases,  but  not  so 
severely  unique  and  classic  as  would  be  the  case  with  un- 
tamed tribes." 

"Did  not  Disraeli  discuss  this  question  in  'Coningsby'  ?" 

"Touching  the  Semitic  race,  —  yes,  I  think  so;  but  it  is  so 
long  since  I  have  read  the  book  that  I  almost  forget  his  line 
of  argument.  But  we  have  strayed  from  our  subject,  which 
was  physical  and  not  intellectual  perfection ;  and  I  verily  be- 
lieve that  if  as  much  attention  were  given  to  the  breeding  of 
humanity  as  is  given  to  the  rearing  of  race-horses,  the  race  of 
mankind  would  be  much  benefited  thereby." 

Justinian  had  quite  a  mania  regarding  this  question  of 
race,  and  Maurice  would  gladly  have  continued  the  interesting 
argument,  but  the  play  was  shortly  about  to  begin,  so  he 
deferred  the  discussion  until  a  more  fitting  occasion,  and 
meanwhile  examined  the  theatre  with  careful  attention. 

The  stage  facing  the  semicircle  was  long  and  narrow,  with 
slender  columns  on  either  side  supporting  the  pediment, 
which,  unfortunately,  was  quite  plain,  as  Justinian's  theories 
had  not  yet  developed  a  Pheidias  to  sculpture  the  red  lime- 
stone into  god-like  forms  of  hero  and  deity.  A  broad  flight 
of  steps  led  downward  to  the  orchestra,  which  had  entrances 
to  the  right  and  left  for  the  convenience  of  the  chorus  ;  while 
a  veritable  altar  of  Dionysius,  wreathed  with  sculptured 
grapes  and  nude  figures  of  dancing  faun  and  nymph,  taken, 
doubtless,  from  some  ruined  temple,  stood  on  a  raised  plat- 
form fronting  the  stage,  and  on  it  burned  a  small  fire,  where- 
on incense  was  occasionally  flung. 

"  Is  that  not  rather  pagan  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  referring  to 
the  altar. 

"  Everything  herein  is  ideal,  not  real,"  replied  the  Demarch 
wisely.  "When  you  see  the  chorus  throw  incense  on  the 
altar,  think  not  that  they  are  sacrificing  to  the  wine-god  of 
their  ancestors.  No,  they  are  all  of  the  Orthodox  Church, 
and  obey  devoutly  the  precepts  of  Papa  Athanasius  ;  but  I 
like  to  carry  out  the  old  ceremonies,  even  to  this  altar,  which 
means  nothing,  and  is  highly  characteristic  of  the  antique 
festival." 

As  Crispin,  Helena,  and  Caliphronas  were  all  actors  for  the 
day,  the  Demarch  and  Maurice  sat  alone  in  the  centre  of  the 
semicircle;  surrounded  by  the  sailors,  who  were  much  puzzled 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  269 

at  the  strangeness  of  this  stately,  open-air  theatre,  so  different 
from  the  air-tight  boxes  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed 
in  London. 

''  If  it  was  only  an  Adelphi  melodrama  I  "  said  Dick,  whose 
inclinations  leaned  to  the  bloodthirsty  play ;  "but  I  suppose 
it  will  be  something  like  that  squalling  they  called  singing 
yesterday." 

"  Or  a  moosic  'all,"  observed  Gurt,  chewing  his  quid  re- 
flectively. "  I  seed  a  gal  in  one  of  'em  down  Wappin'  way 
as  guv  a  song  called,  '  Tap  me  on  the  shoulder,  Bill.'  My 
eyes,  but  it  were  a  good  un,  that  'ere." 

Decidedly  this  unique  dramatic  representation,  which 
many  English  scholars  would  have  beheld  with  delight,  was 
quite  thrown  away  on  these  conservative  tars,  who  preferred 
melodrama  and  comic  songs  to  the  solemn  splendors  of  an- 
cient tragedy,  which  was,  naturally  enough,  Greek  to  them 
in  more  senses  than  one. 

In  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  Justinian,  the  poet 
had  composed  a  play  embodying  an  allegory  of  the  aims  of 
this  island  colony  of  Melnos,  and,  forsaking  to  a  great  extent 
the  severe  classicism  of  ^schylean  tragedy,  had  modelled 
his  drama  on  the  loose-fiying  splendors  of  Shelley's  Hellas. 
This  piece,  entitled  '  The  Phoenix,'  was  intended  to  represent 
the  degradation  of  Greece  under  the  Turkish  yoke,  her  escape 
from  such  bondage,  her  material  civilization,  and  her  subse- 
quent rise  to  intellectual  supremacy,  which  end  the  formation 
of  the  colony  of  Melnos  was  supposed  to  foster.  Crispin  had 
no  fear  of  his  allegorical  drama  not  being  understood  by  his 
audience,  for  the  Greeks  are  a  singularly  keen-witted  people, 
and,  besides,  Justinian  had  so  imbued  the  whole  population 
with  his  hopes  of  reviving  the  ancient  glories  of  the  Athe- 
nian genius,  that  all  present  were  quite  able  to  comprehend 
the  hidden  meaning  of  the  play.  The  Phoenix  was  to  occupy 
the  whole  morning,  and,  after  an  interval  of  two  hours  for 
rest  and  refreshment,  the  satiric  pendant  to  the  more  solemn 
piece  was  to  be  represented  in  the  afternoon,  consisting,  in 
this  instance,  of  a  local  incident,  developed  and  expanded  by 
Crispin  into  a  wild  Aristophanic  farce,  blending  wit  with 
irony,  laughter  with  tears,  and  stately  chorus  with  clownish 
play  of  rustic  actors. 

Crispin,  moreover,  was  not  only  author,  actor,  and  stage 
manager,  but  also  an  accomplished  musician,  therefore  had 
made  use  of  his  Western  training  in  this  respect,  to  get 
together  an  orchestra,  and,  with  the  aid  of  Andronico,  had 


270  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

adapted  the  plaintive  music  of  the  Hellenic  folk-songs  to  his 
choruses.  The  quick-eared  Greeks  speedily  picked  up  the 
airs,  many  of  which  they  already  knew,  and  thus  the  drama 
followed  closely  in  the  footsteps  of  its  Athenian  prototype ; 
and  the  wild,  rude  music,  sounding  at  intervals  between 
the  long  speeches  of  the  principal  characters,  prevented  the 
monotony  which  otherwise  would  have  certainly  prevailed. 
With  violin,  flute,  pipe,  drum,  symbols,  and  sabouna,  the 
musicians  therefore  took  their  places  unseen  by  the  audi- 
ence ;  for  Crispin,  adopting  Wagner's  theory,  did  not  want 
the  attention  of  his  audience  distracted  in  any  way  by  the 
presence  of  the  orchestra  between  stage  and  auditorium. 

The  back  of  the  stage  represented  a  smooth,  white  marble 
wall,  fronted  by  a  range  of  Corinthian  pillars  wreathed  with 
milky  blossoms,  and  in  the  centre,  great  folding  doors  ready 
to  be  flung  open  when  required  by  the  exigencies  of  the 
play.  Against  this  absolutely  colorless  background  moved 
the  brilliant  flgures  of  the  performers  in  measured  fashion, 
with  stately  gestures,  as  moved  those  serene,  side-faced 
figures  on  tlie  marble  urn  dreamed  of  by  Keats.  The  clear 
light  of  the  sun  burned  on  the  great  half-circle  of  eager  faces 
with  steady  effulgence,  and  left  in  delicate  shadow  that  wide 
white  stage,  whereon  was  to  be  enacted  a  drama  such  as  we 
in  England,  lacking  all  things  necessary  to  such  colossal 
majesty,  can  never  hope  to  see. 

All  being  ready,  the  curtain  arose,  or  rather  fell,  for  Cris- 
pin, with  strict  fidelity  to  Athenian  usages,  had  adopted  this 
curious  mode  of  withdrawing  the  veil  between  audience  and 
performers. 

The  stage  is  empty,  but  a  wild  chant  sounds  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  a  long  train  of  Moslems,  headed  by  their  Sultan, 
sweeps  in,  bearing  with  them  Hellas,  a  captive  in  her  own 
land  to  the  barbaric  power.  Helena,  draped  in  black  and 
manacled  with  chains,  represented  Hellas,  who  stands  with 
melancholy  mien  amid  the  gaudily  dressed  chorus  of  Mos- 
lems, listening  to  their  songs  of  triumph  over  her  downfall. 
"  We  have  chained  you  to  our  chariot,"  they  sing  tauntingly, 
"  yet  thou  need'st  not  look  so  downcast,  for  a  slave  hast  thou 
been  before,  and  a  slave  thou  wilt  be  hereafter.  Thy 
shrines,  thy  palaces,  thy  city  walls  have  fallen,  and  fallen 
too  art  thou." 

The  chorus  having  ended  their  exalting  strains,  the  Sultan 
addresses  Hellas,  and  offers  to  make  her  his  wife,  thus  incor- 
porating the  ancient  land  of  loveliness  with  the  newly  con- 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  271 

structed  power  of  the  Turk ;  but  Hellas,  who  is  Athena 
incarnate,  scorns  his  offer  to  make  her  anodalisque  of  the 
harem.  "  Virgin  I  was,  virgin  I  am,  virgin  1  remain,"  says 
the  fallen  queen,  with  haughty  grace ;  "  my  body  you  may 
chain  with  iron,  but  the  soul  is  under  the  protection  of  Zeus, 
the  Supreme ;  therefore  will  I  sit  here  in  desolation  rather 
than  partake  of  the  splendors  you  offer  me."  Furious  with 
rage,  the  barbarian  smites  her,  but  she,  still  smiling,  repeats 
constantly,  "  The  body  is  thine,  but  the  soul  is  mine  ;  "  so  in 
wrath  he  leaves  her,  with  a  promise  that  her  woes  shall 
never  end,  and  the  Moslem  chorus  follow  him  from  the 
stage,  with  triumphant  shouts  of  joy  at  the  success  of  their 
arms. 

Left  alone,  chained  and  desolate,  amid  the  ruins  of  her 
temples,  Hellas  bewails  her  downfall,  which  contrasts  so 
darkly  with  her  former  brilliance  in  classic  times.  Crispin 
afterwards  translated  the  play  into  blank  verse  for  the  bene- 
fit of  Maurice,  but  the  English  verse  gives  but  a  poor  idea 
of  the  fire  and  majesty  of  the  sonorous  Greek  original. 
"  Woe  is  me  ! "  cries  the  fallen  queen  — 

For  I  am  but  the  sport  of  jealous  gods, 
Who,  envious  of  Athenian  gloriousness, 
Have  crushed  the  city  of  the  Violet  Crown 
Beneath  the  force  of  overwhelming  hordes; 
Thus  blotting  out  my  heaven-aspiring  sons, 
Who,  burning  with  a  new  Promethean  fire, 
Would  fain  have  scaled  god-crowned  Olympus  high 
To  match  themselves  'gainst  gods  in  equal  strife. 

Then,  with  the  sudden  energy  of  despair,  she  calls  upon 
the  heroes  of  Salamis,  of  Thermopylae,  of  Marathon,  to  aid 
their  mother  in  the  time  of  need.  Alas  !  no  voice  answers 
to  her  cry  of  anguish,  and,  overcome  with  a  sense  of  hope- 
lessness, Hellas,  discrowned  and  chained,  sinks  weeping  on 
the  broken  column  of  her  fallen  shrine. 

Now  enters  the  chorus  proper  of  young  Greek  maidens, 
dressed  in  black  stoles,  to  denote  the  sorrowful  condition  of 
their  country.  They  sweep  into  the  orchestra,  and,  having 
sprinkled  the  altar  with  incense,  begin  to  question  their 
fallen  queen,  as  though  they  were  ignorant  of  the  cause  of 
her  grief. 

CHORUS. 

Wliat  madness  drives  thee,  queen,  to  rend  thine  hair  ? 

HELLAS. 

Curst  Ate  bides  upon  the  threshold  stone. 


272  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

CHORUS. 

Now  see  I  plainly  thou  art  bound  with  chains. 

HELLAS. 

In  this  no  fatal  blindness  dims  thine  eyes. 

CHORUS. 

Say  whence  these  chains  which  check  free-moving  limbs  ? 

HELLAS. 

The  Eastern  hordes  have  bound  me  helpless  thus. 

Question  and  answer  thus  goes  on  for  some  time,  and  then 
the  chorus  break  out  into  a  wailing  song,  in  w^hich  they 
remind  Helhis  that,  having  forsaken  the  old  gods  who  helped 
her  in  her  need,  she  is  now  reaping  the  reward  of  such  folly. 
"  The  curse  of  Ate  is  on  thee,"  they  cry  pitifully,  "  nor  will 
the  goddess  be  satisfied  until  she  has  exacted  her  due  penalty 
for  neglect  of  the  Olympians."  They  relate  the  former  woes 
of  Hellas,  how  she  first  was  slave  to  the  Macedonians,  then 
to  the  Roman  power ;  how  the  Latins  set  their  mailed  feet 
on  her  neck ;  and  now  the  Moslems  have  again  reduced  her 
to  the  position  of  bondswoman.  Ever  a  slave,  ever  desired, 
she  is  thrown  from  the  one  to  the  other,  as  it  pleases  them, 
unable  to  free  herself  from  such  degradation.  When  this 
chorus  of  reproach  is  ended,  Hellas  calls  upon  the  tutelar 
genius  of  Greece  to  help  her  ere  she  perish. 

In  answer  to  her  cry,  Apollo  (represented  by  Caliphronas) 
appears,  and  blames  her  for  foolishly  forsaking  the  old  gods 
for  the  new,  and  thus  falling  into  the  hands  of  Nemesis. 
His  power,  which  was  engendered  and  kept  alive  solely  by 
belief,  has  departed,  and  he  cannot  help  her,  much  as  he 
desires  to  do  so.     ''I  myself,"  he  says  — 

E'en  I  whose  fanes  were  ever  reverenced, 

Am  now  bereft  of  shrine  and  oracle  ; 

No  longer  do  I  hear  tlie  Delian  hymn, 

Nor  taste  the  savors  of  the  sacrifice, 

But,  lyre  in  hand,  go  wandering  through  the  night, 

Lamenting  for  ray  skyey  chariot, 

Wlierein  I  bore  the  fierceness  of  the  sun 

Up  eastern  hills  and  down  to  western  seas. 

Finally,  Apollo  tells  his  renegade  worshipper  that  she 
must  sing  the  battle-songs  of  Tyrtseus,  wiiich  may  perhaps 
awaken  thouglits  of  freedom  in  the  breasts  of  her  degener- 
ated sons,  and  then  departs,  promising  to  return  again  w^hen 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  273 

slie  is  once  more  the  stainless  Hellas  of  old.  Fired  by  the 
speech  of  the  god,  Hellas  rises,  and,  assisted  by  the  chorus, 
begins  to  sing  tierce  battle-songs,  and  call  upon  her  sons  to 
remember  the  heroes  of  the  past.  A  clamor  is  heard  with- 
out as  of  men  fighting,  then  the  chains  of  Hellas  fall  off, 
and  with  them  her  dark  robe.  Now  she  is  free  once  more, 
and  clad  in  purest  white,  so,  while  rejoicing  in  her  liberty, 
a  herald  (Crispin)  appears,  and  tells  how  well  the  Greeks 
have  fought  for  their  independence.  This  gave  the  poet  an 
opportunity  for  a  stirring  speech,  descriptive  of  the  modern 
Greek  heroes,  Canaris,  Botzaris,  and  Conduriottis,  which 
names  were  received  with  shouts  by  the  audience,  fired  with 
patriotic  fervor. 

Once  more  Apollo,  the  genius  of  Greece,  appears,  and 
declares  that  no  longer  can  Hellas  dwell  in  desecrated 
Athens,  but  that,  even  as  his  mother  Latona,  she  must  seek 
shelter  in  an  ^gean  isle,  and  there,  after  long  years,  give 
birth  to  a  supreme  race,  who  will  revive  the  ancient  glories 
of  violet-crowned  Athens.  Leading  her  by  the  hand,  the  god 
then  conducts  the  newly  liberated  Hellas  up  the  steps  of  the 
temple.  The  great  doors  are  flung  open  to  the  sound  of 
trumpets  !  and  lo !  appears  the  Acropolis  of  Melnos  in  all  its 
beauty.  Here  is  Hellas  to  dwell  in  seclusion,  until  her 
antique  glory  is  revived  by  a  new  race  of  her  sons,  instinct 
with  genius  ;  and  down  the  steps  come  strings  of  white-robed 
youths  and  girls,  bearing  fruits,  to  welcome  this  Phoenix  of 
Greece,  new  risen  from  the  ashes  of  the  past.  Then  the 
chorus,  wreathing  in  a  mystic  dance  round  the  altar  of  Bac- 
chus, sing  the  coming  glories  of  New  Hellas,  which  are  soon 
to  be  realized  in  the  Island  of  Melnos. 

Long,  long  hast  thou  lain  as  in  prison,  our  mother,  our  goddess,  our 

queen, 
But  lo !  to  the  eastward  hath  risen  a  splendor  serene. 
And  glorious  day  follows  darkness,  the  darkness  of  hundreds  of  years, 
Reviving  thy  corpse  from  its  starkness,  with  laughter  and  tears, 
Ay,  tears  for  the  past  and  its  anijuish,  and  laughter  for  glories  to  come, 
For  never  again  wilt  thou  languish,  a  bondswoman  dumb. 
The  trumpets  of  triumph  are  blowing,  their  clangor  swells  north  from 

thy  south. 
And  jubilant  music  is  flowing  anew  from  thy  mouth. 
Man,  dazzled,  obedient  shall  render  his  homage  to  thee  as  of  yore, 
And  thou  wilt  stand  forth  in  thy  splendor,  a  goddess  once  more. 

After  this  introductory  chant  in  unison,  the  chorus  di- 
vided in  twain,  and  semi-chorus  replied  to  semi-chorus,  in 
fiery  speech  and  jubilant  music,  that  rang  like  a  paean  through 


^74  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

the  wide  thecatre.  Ever  moving  figures,  kneeling  youths  and 
maidens,  soft  radiance  of  sunlight,  and  triumphant  bursts  of 
choral  song,  while  Hellas,  serene  in  her  freedom,  stands  be- 
side tutelary  genius,  with  the  light  of  the  glorious  future  on 
her  face,  listening  to  the  eagle  flight  of  liquid  words,  greet- 
ing her  as  queen  of  the  world. 

The  play  being  ended,  all  the  lively  Greeks  streamed  out 
of  the  theatre,  loudly  praising  the  entertainment,  and,  having 
had  an  iutellectual  feast,  now  proceeded  to  the  tables  set  in 
the  open  air,  which  were  covered  with  all  kinds  of  food  to 
satisfy  their  physical  wants.  IVIaurice  and  the  Demarch 
v/a.ited  in  the  theatre  alone  for  the  actors,  and  very  shortly 
Crispin  came  to  see  how  they  liked  his  play.  He  received 
warm  congratulations  of  his  success  from  the  two  men,  while 
Helena  and  Caliphronas  also  received  their  due  meed  of 
praise.  The  Greek  was  radiant  with  self-complacent  delight, 
for  his  vanity  had  been  much  gratified  by  the  approval  of 
the  audience,  and  for  the  rest  of  the  day  he  regarded  himself 
as  the  hero  of  the  hour,  quite  forgetting  both  Crispin  and 
Helena  in  his  serene  egotism. 

"  I  hope  I  have  succeeded  in  showing  your  aims  clearly, 
Justinian  ?  "  said  the  poet,  as  they  sat  down  to  a  comfortable 
meal. 

"  You  have  succeeded  admirably,  especially  in  that  last 
chorus.  I  only  hope  that  all  will  see  the  piece  is  meant  for 
more  than  the  amusement  of  an  hour." 

"If  you  heard  how  the  villagers  are  talking,"  remarked 
Caliphronas,  with  a  laugh,  "  I  do  not  think  you  would  have 
any  doubt  on  that  score,  for  they  already  regard  themselves 
as  the  saviours  of  Hellas,  intellectually,  physically,  and 
politically." 

"  Did  you  intend  your  genius  of  Greece  for  Lord  Byron, 
Crispin  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  who  had  understood  and  admired 
the  allegory. 

"  Well,  the  character  was  supposed  to  blend  both  the  god 
and  the  poet,"  replied  Crispin,  after  a  pause  ;  "  let  us  say  it 
was  the  Olympian  incarnate  in  the  body  of  the  Englishman." 

"And  both  the  Olympian  and  Englishman  incarnate  in  a 
Greek,"  said  the  Demarch  graciously. 

Caliphronas  smiled  at  receiving  this  compliment,  which 
was  intended  to  further  blind  him  to  the  reality  of  Justin- 
ian's feelings  towards  him. 

"There  is  nothing  I  should  like  better  than  to  become  a 
leader  in  reality,"  he  said  gayly ;  "  to  inspire  my  countrymen 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  275 

with  the  desire  of  once  more  making  Hellas  supreme  queen 

of  the  world." 

"  Of  the  intellectual  world  ?  " 

"  Or  the  material  —  it  matters  not  which." 

"Pardon  me,  but  it  matters  a  great  deal,"  replied  Justinian 
quickly.  "Politically,  Greece  has  a  place  among  the  Powers 
—  she  has  a  constitution  and  a  king.  So,  as  far  as  mate- 
rial prosperity  goes,  I  wish  not  to  meddle  with  her,  but  my 
aim  is  to  revive  her  intellectuality,  and  Crispin's  play  was 
entirely  written  to  illustrate  that  point.  Hellas  will  never 
be  a  modern  Roman  empire  —  she  never  was  an  all-conquer- 
ing power,  and  her  strength  lay  in  the  brains,  not  in  the 
hands  of  her  sons.  After  all,  is  it  not  greater  to  control 
the  minds  than  the  bodies  of  men  ?  " 

"  You  want  to  turn  Hellas  into  a  school." 

"  The  pen  is  mightier  than  the  sword,"  rejoined  Justinian 
sententiously.  "  Let  other  nations  be  merchants  and  warriors, 
while  Greece  reasserts  her  ancient  vocation  of  teacher. 
An  aptitude  for  a  special  line  is  as  true  of  the  many  as  of  the 
one.  You  would  not  give  the  lyre  to  the  soldier  nor  the 
sword  to  the  poet,  so  every  race  should  exercise  the  talents 
with  which  it  is  especially  gifted  ;  not,  of  course,  to  the 
exclusion  of  others,  but  make  its  peculiar  gift  its  greatest 
aim.  At  present,  the  great  human  family  of  Europe  is  in  a 
state  of  transition,  and,  unaware  of  each  other's  aims,  are 
watchfully  in  arms  the  one  against  the  other.  Let  us  hope 
that  before  the  end  of  the  twentieth  century  they  will  recog- 
nize that  one  special  faculty  predominates  in  every  nation, 
and  permit  each  other  to  cultivate  that  special  faculty." 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Maurice,  somewhat  astonished, 
"would  you  have  the  English  nothing  but  shopkeepers 
and  colonizers  —  the  French,  a  nation  of  warriors  —  the  Ger- 
mans, philosophers  only,  and  the  Italians,  musicians  ?  That, 
indeed,  would  narrow  down  the  talents  of  the  world  to  one 
special  field  each." 

"  You  do  not  understand  me,  Maurice,"  said  Justinian 
impatiently.  "  I  quite  agree  that  every  nation  should  have 
its  own  literature,  art,  music,  philosophy,  and  drama,  but  the 
one  special  gift  of  the  race  should  be  cultivated  more  than 
the  others ;  it  should  be  made  a  state  law  —  a  political 
necessity.  However,  this  question  admits  of  much  argu- 
ment, and  we  have  no  time  to  argue  now,  but,  in  illustration 
that  I  am  not  so  narrow-minded  as  you  think,  I  will  merely 
point  out,  that  I  educate  my  Greeks  in  military  and  civil 


276  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

occupations  quite  as  much  as  T  attend  to  their  intellectu- 
ality." 

"  After  all,"  said  Caliphronas  pointedly,  "  only  civil  occu- 
pations, such  as  touch  agriculture,  are  necessary,  for  intel- 
lectuality is  yet  in  the  future  with  us,  and  it  is  not  likely 
Melnos  will  ever  require  to  resort  to  arms." 

"  I  trust  not,"  replied  Justinian,  looking  steadily  at  the 
Count.  "  But  if  she  does,  I  am  quite  sure  you  will  find  her 
sons  able  to  defend  their  island,  even  against  enmity  and 
treachery." 

Caliphronas  smiled  uneasily,  and  held  his  peace,  upon 
which  there  ensued  a  rather  embarrassing  pause,  which  was 
only  ended  by  the  departure  of  Crispin  to  look  after  the 
afternoon's  entertainment.  Maurice  strolled  off  in  the 
pleasant  company  of  Helen,  much  to  the  disgust  of  Cali- 
phronas, who  now  pointedly  avoided  the  company  of  the 
Englishman,  owing  to  the  fracas  which  had  occurred  during 
the  previous  day.  Truth  to  tell,  Eoylands  was  pleased  with 
such  avoidance,  as,  now  that  open  war  was  declared  between 
himself  and  the  Greek,  he  had  no  need  to  cloak  his  distaste 
for  the  society  of  this  precious  scamp. 

The  satiric  comedy  of  "  The  Honey  Bees,"  was  a  fantastic 
piece  based  upon  an  incident  which  had  lately  occurred  in 
Melnos.  Justinian  had  lately  imported  a  potter  to  teach  his 
people  the  ceramic  art,  but  this  new  acquisition  turned  out 
to  be  but  an  idle  scoundrel,  who  spent  his  time  in  drinking 
and  making  love  to  his  neighbors'  wives.  On  this  basis  the 
poet  had  worked  out  an  amusing  plot,  not  devoid  of  point, 
in  which  Aristides,  an  idle  scamp,  forces  himself  into  an 
industrious  hive  of  honey  bees,  whose  queen  he  desires  to 
marry,  in  order  to  be  independent  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 
Unfortunately,  he  falls  a  victim  to  a  counter-plot  of  the  bees 
themselves,  who,  in  order  to  disillusionize  the  queen,  get  a 
pretty  young  girl  called  Myrtis  to  pay  court  to  the  adven- 
turer. He  makes  love  to  Myrtis,  and  is  discovered  by  the 
enraged  queen,  who  orders  her  bees  to  drive  him  forth  from 
the  hive. 

This  slight  framework  was  filled  with  pointed  allusions  to 
passing  events,  and  the  weaknesses  of  many  of  the  Melno- 
sians  were  slyly  pointed  out,  so  that  the  gossip-loving  audi- 
ence enjoyed  every  stinging  remark  to  the  full,  nor,  indeed, 
failed  to  laugh  when  the  irony  was  directed  at  themselves. 
The  scene  was  the  public  square  of  the  village,  with  the  lake 
and  the  bronze  statue  of  Jupiter,  so  that,  with  such  a  well- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  277 

known  setting,  every  local  point  was  understood  and  ap- 
plauded. The  chorus  consisted  of  the  "  Honey  Bees," 
dressed  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  Aristophanic  Wasps, 
with  pinched  waists,  yellow  black-banded  bodies,  and  spears 
for  stings.  Alternating  with  the  rude  buffoonery  of  the  play, 
were  bursts  of  choric  song  lauding  the  community  of  Melnos 
and  the  industry  of  its  inhabitants,  with  many  sly  hits  at 
the  idle  lives  of  the  adjacent  islanders.  In  fact,  with  great 
judgment  the  poet  had  constructed  the  whole  comedy  to 
glorify  the  Melnosians  at  the  expense  of  their  labors,  and 
thus  render  them  the  more  resolved  to  work  hard  at  their 
appointed  tasks,  and  thus  fulfil  the  aims  of  their  De- 
march. 

The  following  scene  of  the  arrival  of  Aristides  and  the 
entrance  of  the  chorus  will  give,  some  idea  of  the  play, 
though,  of  course,  what  with  local  allusions  and  the  flexi- 
bility of  the  Greek  language,  the  comedy  is  more  amusing  in 
the  original. 

Aristides.  O  Pan,  to  what  land  of  honey  have  I  come ! 
Truly,  I  see  naught  but  wild  thjme  and  yellow  comb. 
Poseidon,  has  thou  then  girdled  Hymettus  with  the  azure 
scarf  of  ocean  ? 

Queen.  No  hill  of  Attic  fame  do  you  here  behold,  but  the 
skj^-piercing  Melnos,  beloved  of  the  gods. 

4-ristides.  Jupiter  !  I  behold  a  graceful  creature.  Have 
I  then  been  thrown  on  the  alluring  coast  of  fatal 
Circe  ? 

Queen.  Sun-god's  daughter  I  am  not,  but  one  who  rules 
over  honey-seeking  bees  in  this  hollow  island.  Cleverly  do 
they  extract  the  sweet  juices  of  flowers  to  fill  the  emptiness 
of  many-celled  combs. 

Aristides  {running  away).  Ah  me,  I  fear  the  sharpness  of 
their  stings. 

Quee7i.  In  no  wise  will  they  hurt  thee  save  at  my  behest. 
Be  still,  0  handsome  stranger,  and  I  will  invoke  for  thee 
the  industrious  tribe,  whose  ambrosia  is  sweeter  than  the 
food  of  undying  gods. 

Aristides.     Already  I  shake  in  my  cowardly  knees. 

Queen.  O  Pan,  inspirer  of  vague  fears,  do  I  call  on  thee 
to  send  hither  the  swift-flying  bees.  Whether  ye  lurk  in 
lioney-throated  flowers  industrious,  or  speed  lightly  through 
the  measureless  sky,  do  I  summon  ye  hither,  0  sting- 
bearers. 


278  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 


ENTER   CHORUS   OF   BEES. 

Buzz!  Buzz!  Buzz! 
Indeed  I  heard  thy  cry,  O  queen, 
When  seeking  on  a  mount  serene 
Sweet-tasting  honey  for  our  store, 
Drawn  from  the  core 
Of  rose  and  daisy,  violet, 
In  sparkling  dews  of  meadows  set, 
With  patient  labor  do  I  strive  / 

To  fill  the  hive, 

Alas!  too  often  plundered,  when  1 

Espied  by  all-devouring  men.  / 

Buzz!  Buzz!  Buzz! 
But  lo !  whom  see  I  lurking  here  ? 
The  form  of  man,  whom  much  I  fear.  , 

Buz  —  z  —  z  —  z  —  z! 
Let  me  prepare  my  angry  sting 
To  slay  this  greedy-passioned  thing, 
Who  would  devour 
Our  honey  in  a  single  hour. 
Buz  —  z  —  z  —  z  —  z. 

The  audience,  lovers  of  laughter  as  they  were,  much  pre- 
ferred this  amusing  play  to  the  solemn  teachings  of  the 
morning,  and  yet  from  both  they  learned  something  neces- 
sary to  their  well-being.  From  the  one,  how  Justinian 
wished  to  make  them  the  centre  of  a  new  intellectual  force  ; 
and  from  the  other,  how  his  aim  could  be  achieved  by  indus- 
try and  perseverance :  so,  grave  or  gay,  the  performance 
instilled  the  policy  of  the  Demarch  into  their  minds. 

On  the  conclusion  of  the  comedy,  the  rest  of  the  evening 
was  devoted  to  feasting,  while  Justinian  and  his  guests 
returned  to  the  Acropolis,  well  pleased  with  the  success  of 
the  performances. 

"Well,  what  do  you  think  of  my  sermons  from  the 
stage  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  as  he  strolled  along  beside  Maurice. 

"  I  think  very  highly  of  them,"  answered  the  Englishman. 
"  It  is  a  pity  we  dare  not  be  so  out-spoken  in  our  own  land. 
But  if  you  set  forth  the  foibles  of  Londoners  as  plainly  as 
you  did  in  'The  Honey  Bees,^  I  am  afraid  you  would  have 
half  a  dozen  libel  cases." 

"  It  would  be  impossible  to  transplant  the  Aristophanic 
comedy  to  England,  for  modern  civilization  is  too  compli- 
cated to  admit  of  such  free  speaking.  Besides,  the  average 
Briton  is  too  serious  and  too  practical  to  relish  the  truth,  even 
when  uttered  by  the  comic  muse,  and  only  the  light-hearted 
Athenians  could  have  appreciated  and  enjoyed  such  plain 
speaking.     The  French  are  more  given  to  open  criticism,  and 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  270 

I  daresay  a  political  comedy  constructed  on  these  lines 
would  appeal  greatly  to  their  sense  of  humor." 

"  When  one  is  in  Kome  one  must  not  speak  evil  of  the 
Pope  !  " 

''  And  every  nation  has  its  pope  of  conventionality.  I 
agree  with  you  there.  After  all,  it  is  impossible  to  revive 
the  past,  and  even  a  new  Shakespeare  would  be  as  out  of 
place  in  these  post-revoluntionary  days  as  a  new  Aristo- 
phanes. The  modern  world  deals  with  the  drama  of  little 
things,  and  the  individual  idiosyncrasy  is  caricatured  instead 
of  the  national  policy.  We  have  only  one  plain-speaking 
Aristophanes  nowadays,  and  his  name  is  FunchP 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

OLYMPIAN. 

Like  statues  fair  the  naked  runners  stand, 

Poised  for  the  start  on  Elis'  sacred  plain, 

Their  limbs  resplendent  shine  with  fragrant  oil, 

And  every  eager  athlete  is  fain 

To  win  the  wreath  of  olives  for  his  toil, 

In  honor  of  his  land. 

Like  flying  arrows  from  a  stretched  bow, 

They  onward  speed  with  every  muscle  strained. 

A  breathless  pause  —  then  shouts  to  heaven  go 

In  token  of  the  victory  hardly  won. 

A  triple  cry  of  "Hail,  Victorious!  "  sounds; 

With  dance  and  choral  song  the  victor  goes 

To  bend  before  the  statue  of  the  god. 

Then  one  with  glad  rejoicing  proudly  throws 

A  robe  of  triumph  o'er  his  shoulders  broad, 

And  with  wild  olives  crowned, 

The  athlete  unconquered,  in  his  state 

Waits  silent  in  the  awful  god's  abode 

To  hear,  with  pride  of  victory  elate, 

The  rushing  splendor  of  Pindaric  ode. 

Owing  to  the  comparatively  small  size  of  the  valley, 
which  was  much  taken  up  with  the  dwelling-houses,  manu- 
factories, and  public  buildings,  the  place  wherein  the  yearly 
games  took  place  was  not  very  large.  Still,  with  a  sparse 
population,  the  arena  was  large  enough,  and  when  all  were 
assembled  it  was  comfortably  filled,  leaving  a  large  open 
space  in  the  centre  for  the   runners,   leapers,   boxers,    and 


280  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

other  athletes  who  took  part  in  the  sports.  Despite  his  dis- 
like to  anachronisms,  Justinian  was  obliged  to  deviate  from 
the  special  sports  of  Elis,  and  introduce  a  number  of  modern 
pastimes,  in  order  to  keep  his  men  in  an  efficient  state  of 
training  for  the  defence  of  the  island.  To  this  end,  shoot- 
ing matches  were  arranged,  and  the  Demarch  supplied  the 
Melnosians  with  guns  for  the  day,  which  were  afterwards 
returned  to  the  armory  of  the  Acropolis,  and  many  of  the 
villagers  were  excellent  marksmen.  Justinian  also,  who 
appeared  to  know  something  of  military  tactics,  drilled  and 
manoeuvred  his  men  in  fine  style  ;  and  last,  but  not  least, 
Gurt,  who  was  an  old  man-of-war's  man,  had  taught  a  special 
number  the  cutlass  drill  of  the  British  navy. 

The  arena  was  a  large  open  space  near  the  grand  staircase, 
surrounded  with  many  trees  of  the  beech,  elm,  pine,  and 
plane  sort ;  and  thus,  to  some  extent,  shaded  the  ground 
agreeably  from  the  sun,  which  beat  fiercely  down  at  noon- 
day. There  was  no  amphitheatre,  but  rows  of  stone  benches 
on  which  the  women  could  seat  themselves,  while  their  hus- 
bands, fathers,  sons,  and  brothers  stood  around,  or  lay  luxuri- 
ously on  the  grass.  Justinian  himself,  however,  had  a  kind 
of  stone  throne,  rudely  carved,  and  all  his  guests  were  sup- 
plied with  seats  adjacent,  so  that  the}^  could  view  the  games 
quite  comfortably.  The  athletes  were  clothed  m  their  tight- 
fitting  dancing  costumes,  which  gave  free  play  to  their 
bodies,  and  were  comfortably  cool,  while  their  feet  only  were 
bare,  so  as  not  to  impede  their  speed  in  the  racing.  On  this 
final  day  of  the  festival,  the  colors  changed  sexes,  for  most 
of  the  men  were  garbed  in  white  for  the  sports,  while  the 
women  had  decked  their  snowy  chitons  with  brilliant  rib- 
bons and  gold  coins,  while  they  wreathed  their  dark  locks 
with  fragrant  chaplets  of  flowers.  Only  Helena  was  in  pure 
white  —  Helena,  who  sat  near  her  father  like  a  queen,  and 
wore  a  robe  the  hue  of  milk,  a  snowy  wreath  of  delicate 
cyclamen,  yet  who  looked  the  fairest  of  all  the  fair  women 
assembled.  In  spite  of  the  attractions,  vine-feast  and  goat- 
song,  which  had  occupied  the  two  previous  days,  these 
Olympian  games  were  the  favorites  with  the  lively  Melno- 
sians, as  all  could  take  part  in  them,  and  win  the  praises  of 
the  Demarch,  and  the  smiles  of  the  women,  which  was 
greatly  flattering  to  the  harmless  vanity  of  the  Greek 
nature. 

Maurice,  in  common  with  Crispin,  was  arrayed  in  the 
white  wool  athletic  dress,  as   Caliphronas   had   challenged 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  281 

him  to  compete  in  jumping,  and  for  the  honor  of  his  coun- 
try he  accepted  the  glove  so  insultiugly  thrown  down.  In- 
sultingly, because  Caliphronas,  confident  of  his  superb 
physical  perfection,  had  taunted  the  Englishman  with  not 
being  able  to  hold  his  own  in  athletic  sports,  save  in  boxing, 
which  taunt  had  stung  Maurice  so  much,  that  he  had 
wagered  himself  against  Caliphronas  in  the  running  jump. 
At  college,  Maurice  had  been  a  famous  athlete,  and  though 
six  years  of  idleness  in  London  had  impaired  his  powers, 
yet  the  pure  atmosphere  of  Melnos,  the  constant  open-air 
life  of  mountain-climbing  and  swimming  had  completely 
reinvigorated  him  ;  and  what  he  lacked  of  his  former  skill 
was  counterbalanced  by  the  endurance  of  his  spare  frame, 
the  hardness  of  his  muscles,  and  his  general  feeling  of 
exuberant  vitality.  He  was  all  in  white,  save  for  the  colors 
of  his  college,  and  a  wreath  of  red  roses,  which  Helena  had 
woven  round  his  gray  sombrero,  in  which  headgear  he  looked 
like  the  Sicilian  shepherd,  Acis,  when  he  went  a-courting 
Galatea  by  the  sea. 

Seated  by  Justinian,  they  all  watched  the  progress  of  the 
games  with  great  interest,  which  was  fully  shared  by  their 
surrounding  guard  of  sailors,  who  thought  this  festival  the 
most  sensible  of  the  three.  All  the  ambitious  mariners  had 
entered  themselves  for  every  game,  running,  wrestling,  leap- 
ing, boxing,  and  shooting ;  nor  did  they  fail  to  uphold  the 
honor  of  England,  for  if  the  Greeks  had  the  speed,  the 
Britons  had  the  strength,  and,  in  their  dogged  determination 
that  an  Englishman  could  not  be  beaten,  managed  to  secure  a 
respectable  number  of  victories  over  the  nimble-stepping 
islanders. 

"  I  think  I  like  the  games  best  myself,"  said  Justinian,  as 
lie  surveyed  the  races  from  his  throne,  like  one  of  the  old 
Olympian  Hellanodikai ;  "  for  I  know  that  strength  is  what 
Melnos  now  requires  from  her  sons.  Amusement  and  intel- 
lectuality are  in  the  future,  but,  with  the  chances  of  a  prob- 
able war,  we  need  as  many  skilled  athletes  and  trained 
soldiers  as  possible." 

"I  notice  you  make  everything  subservient  to  your 
schemes,"  observed  Maurice,  who  every  day  was  more  and 
more  impressed  with  the  administrative  capabilities  of  the 
Demarch. 

'•  Of  course.  I  think  the  entire  life  of  a  people  should  be 
the  means  to  an  end,  and  thus  they  will  be  able  to  live  health- 
fully, mirthfully,  and  intellectually,  yet  be  able  to  guard 
themselves  in  time  of  dangers." 


282  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Quite  like  Sparta  !  " 

"  No ;  I  have  told  you  I  never  did  approve  of  Sparta,  which 
destroyed  the  individuality  of  every  man,  and  turned  her 
nation  into  nothing  but  a  warlike  machine.  A  plant  will  not 
grow  in  a  pot  too  small  for  it,  nor  will  a  child  constantly  con- 
fined in  swaddling  clothes  develop  its  physical  nature  freely. 
Mankind  requires  four  things,  —  amusement,  education,  work, 
and  physical  exercise ;  and  on  these  requirements  I  base  my 
system  of  rule.  All  the  year  round,  my  people  work  for  the 
well-being  of  the  community,  and  these  festivals,  although 
they  please  them,  are  not  without  their  objects.  The  first 
day  is  the  pure  amusement  only  of  the  vintage  feast ;  during 
the  second  day,  I  educate  their  minds  to  understand  the 
reason  of  their  existence ;  and  now,  on  this  third  day,  they 
indulge  in  physical  exercises,  which  keep  them  healthy,  and 
also  train  them  to  defend  their  land  from  outside  dangers.'^ 

"  You  are  a  modern  Solon  !  " 

''  The  Solon  of  an  unnoticed  island,"  replied  Justinian, 
with  a  smile.  "Well,  you  see,  owing  to  the  exigencies  of 
modern  life,  I  am  forced  to  go  in  for  quality  rather  than 
quantity  —  to  rule  a  tribe  instead  of  a  nation  —  to  govern  an 
island  rather  than  a  continent.  Nevertheless,  you  know  the 
saying,  '  From  small  events,  what  mighty  causes  spring  ; ' 
so,  perchance,  my  miniature  government,  when  it  develops 
into  a  larger  one,  may  not  be  without  some  influence  in  this 
often  misgoverned  world." 

"Justinian,"  said  Maurice,  with  irrepressible  curiosity, 
who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Demarch  of  Melnos." 

"  Forgive  me  ! "  replied  Maurice,  flushing,  as  he  noticed 
the  pointed  rebuke.  "  I  know  the  question  I  have  asked  is 
a  breach  of  good-breeding ;  but  you  are  such  a  wonderful 
man,  that  I  must  be  excused  for  wondering  where  you  came 
from." 

"  I  am  not  angry  at  your  question,"  returned  Justinian, 
touched  by  the  frankness  of  the  young  man ;  "  the  spectacle 
of  an  old  Englishman  with  such  projects  is,  perhaps,  calcu- 
lated to  arouse  curiosity.  However,  I  will  promise  to  tell 
you  all  about  myself  when  a  certain  event,  which  I  dearly 
desire,  comes  to  pass." 

"  And  that  event  ?  " 

Justinian  smiled  meaningly,  and  let  his  eyes  fall  upon 
Helena,  upon  which  Maurice  flushed  red  with  delight,  and 
would  have  spoken,  but  that  the  wary  old  man  shook  his 
head,  as  a  sign  that  he  was  to  keep  silence. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  283 

^'  Andros  !  "  he  whispered  significantly  ;  "another  time." 

Maurice  saw  that  Caliphronas  was  walking  towards  them, 
and  wisely  held  his  peace,  althougli  it  was  difficult  for  hiui 
to  repress  the  delight  which  the  hint  of  Justinian  had 
awakened  in  his  breast.  To  have  this  queen  among  women 
as  his  own,  to  pass  his  life  by  her  side,  to  always  have  her 
beautiful  face  before  his  eyes,  —  it  was  too  good  to  be  true. 
Yet  true  it  was,  for  Justinian  had  unmistakably  shown  his 
approbation  of  the  match.  As  to  Caliphronas,  the  young 
Englishman  had  no  fear ;  he  had  given  his  rival  plainly  to 
understand  that  he  would  strive  his  hardest  to  win  Helena, 
and  the  Greek  could  not  say  that  he  was  involved  in  any  way 
in  Justinian's  crafty  diplomacy.  Maurice  Koylands  was 
essentially  an  honorable  man,  and,  despite  the  necessity  for 
such  treachery,  the  underhanded  dealings  of  the  Demarch 
were  revolting  to  his  sense  of  honesty,  and  he  was  glad  he 
had  come  to  a  complete  understanding  with  the  Count,  so 
that,  when  Justinian  showed  his  hand  in  the  deep  game  he 
was  playing,  Caliphronas  could  not  accuse  his  rival  of  under- 
hand dealings  in  any  way.  As  to  Helena,  this  straightfor- 
ward lover  was  not  so  ignorant  of  the  ways  of  women  as  not 
to  know  she  liked  him  best,  in  spite  of  her  coquettings  with 
Caliphronas ;  therefore  he  felt  quite  confident  that  Helena 
would  not  be  cruel  enough  to  refuse  him. 

His  meditations  were  put  an  end  to  by  Crispin,  who  ap- 
proached with  Dick,  on  whose  behalf  he  proffered  a  challenge 
to  Mr.  E/Oylands. 

"  Here  you  are,  Maurice,"  said  the  poet  cheerily.  "  Dick 
wishes  to  know  if  you  will  be  his  antagonist  in  a  boxing  con- 
test." 

"  Certainly,  I  will  be  delighted ;  but  I  am  afraid,  Dick, 
you  will  have  the  best  of  it,  as  I  haven't  touched  the  gloves 
for  the  last  six  months." 

"  I'm  not  in  good  training  myself,  sir,"  replied  Dick  mod- 
estly ;  "  but  I'd  dearly  love  to  have  a  turn  with  you,  sir,  if  I 
may  make  so  bold,  just  to  show  these  darned  Greeks  how  to 
use  their  fists." 

*'  Don't  you  speak  contemptuously  of  these  darned  Greeks, 
my  friend,"  said  Crispin  dryly ;  "  some  of  Justinian's  men 
have  no  small  skill  in  boxing,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  Not  Caliphronas,"  remarked  IMaurice,  recalling  his  con- 
test with  the  Count  on  the  first  day  of  the  feast. 

"  Caliphronas  !  "  echoed  Crispin  scornfully.  "  No  ;  he  is 
too  much  afraid  of  his  beauty  being  spoiled  to  go  in  for  hard 


284  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

knocks ;  but  he  is  a  good  leaper,  Maurice,  so  you  will  have  to 
look  to  your  University  laurels.'^ 

'' '  And  can  I  fail  before  my  lady's  eyes  ?  '  "  quoted  Mau- 
rice jestingly. 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  remember  Caliphronas  is  also  exhibit- 
ing his  prowess  in  his  lady's  eyes  :  so  you  are  like  two 
knights  of  the  Middle  Ages  tilting  before  the  Queen  of 
Beauty.     If  you  fail,  my  poor  Maurice  "  — 

"  Vce  victis,''  retorted  Eoy lands,  with  a  laugh ;  "  keep  your 
lamentations  till  after  the  contest,  Mr.  Aristophanes.  Jove ! 
how  that  fellow  scuds  ! " 

A  one-mile  race  was  going  on,  four  times  round  the  arena, 
which  was  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  circumference,  and  about 
half  a  dozen  men  had  started,  among  whom  was  Temistocles, 
the  young  Greek  who  had  won  the  wine-skin  dance  on  the 
first  day  of  the  festival.  He  had  shot  slightly  ahead  of  his 
competitors,  who  were  making  great  efforts  to  catch  him  up, 
but  Maurice,  an  adept  in  such  things,  saw  that  he  was  ex- 
hausting himself  in  the  effort  to  keep  the  lead,  and,  as  it  was 
only  the  first  lap,  would  not  be  able  to  hold  out  to  the  end 
going  at  such  a  pace. 

"Crispin,  tell  that  fellow  leading  to  reserve  himself  for 
the  last  round." 

"What  for?" 

"Because  he's  taking  too  much  out  of  himself,  stupid. 
Quick,  shout  as  he  passes." 

The  runners  were  now  flying  past  the  winning-post,  which 
was  directly  in  front  of  Justinian's  throne,  so  Crispin  sang 
out  loudly  in  G-reek  to  Temistocles  as  Maurice  had  instructed 
him.  The  young  Palikar  was  no  fool,  and  saw  that  the  ad- 
vice was  good,  so  he  let  the  two  behind  him  gain  his  side, 
and  took  a  second  place  between  them  and  the  ruck.  Only 
these  three  men  were  in  the  race,  for  the  remaining  three 
were  already  well  blown,  and  Temistocles,  acting  on  the  wary 
advice  given,  wanted  his  two  most  dangerous  opponents  to 
exhaust  themselves.  During  the  second  lap,  one  of  the  last 
three  men  threw  up  the  sponge,  as  also  did  another  at  the 
third  round,  and  as  the  hinder  man  was  completely  out  of  it, 
the  interest  in  the  race  centred  in  the  two  leading  runners 
and  Temistocles,  who  followed  closely  behind.  Neck  and 
neck  ran  the  first  two,  making  violent  efforts  to  pass  one 
another,  quite  unaware  of  the  danger  behind  them,  so  that  at 
the  final  lap  they  were  getting  somewhat  stale.  Half-way 
round  the  arena,  one  gained  slightly  on  the  other,  and,  think- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  285 

ing  he  was  now  pretty  certain  of  the  victory,  ran  home  at 
full  speed,  but  Temistocles,  who  had  been  mustering  his 
strength,  saw  that  the  decisive  moment  had  come,  and,  shoot- 
ing past  him  like  an  arrow,  gained  the  goal  four  lengths 
ahead.  The  applause  during  this  exciting  race  was  tremen- 
dous, and  the  onlookers  cheered  themselves  hoarse  when 
Temistocles  won ;  while  that  grateful  young  man  came  to 
thank  Crispin  for  the  hint  which  had  gained  him  the  victory. 

"Do  not  thank  me,"  said  Crispin,  smiling,  as  he  drew  Roy- 
lands  forward ;  "  Kyrios  ^laurice  told  me  what  to  say." 

Temistocles  expressed  himself  much  beholden  to  the  lord, 
and  went  off  to  receive  the  congratulations  of  his  friends, 
while  the  next  item  on  the  programme,  which  was  a  boxing 
contest,  began.  Both  Maurice  and  Dick  watched  this  exhi- 
bition of  pugilistic  science  critically,  and  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  while  the  islanders  were  active  enough  in  dodging 
and  hitting,  they  had  not  sufficient  strength  to  make  their 
blows  effective  enough  when  they  hit  home.  It  was  all  dex- 
terity and  avoidance  with  them,  which  made  the  fight  pretty 
enough  to  look  on,  but  scarcely  exciting  from  an  English 
point  of  view.  Still,  one  of  these  light-weight  Greeks  was 
enough  to  tire  out  any  ordinary  boxer,  and,  once  having  ex- 
hausted his  antagonist,  could  hope  to  tap  him  pretty  freely, 
and  thus  come  off  victor. 

At  last,  after  several  contests,  Maurice  and  Dick  put  on 
the  gloves  and  stepped  into  the  arena,  and,  after  shaking 
hands  in  time-honored  fashion,  began  to  spar  warily  at 
one  another.  Both  were  heavier-built  men  than  the  spare- 
framed  Greeks,  but  were  pretty  equally  matched  in  point  of 
weight  and  science.  If  anything,  Dick  had  the  quicker  eye 
of  the  two,  while  Eoylands  possessed  the  longer  reach. 
Justinian,  an  old  boxing  man  himself,  was  as  keen  as  a 
needle  over  this  glove  match,  and  came  down  from  his  seat, 
in  order  to  get  a  closer  view  of  the  battle,  while  the  Melno- 
sians,  equally  interested,  crowded  round  eagerly  to  watch 
the  contest. 

After  sparring  lightly  for  a  time,  Maurice  made  a  feint, 
and  led  out  straight  home,  but  Dick  was  on  his  guard,  and 
parried  the  blow  with  his  right,  catching  his  antagonist  a 
lifter  on  the  jaw  with  his  left.  Secretly  annoj^ed  at  this, 
Roylands  made  rapid  play,  and  succeeded  in  landing  a  stun- 
ner on  Dick's  eye  before  the  active  sailor  could  dodge. 
Maurice  got  the  worst  of  the  first  round,  Dick  of  the  second, 
so  it  seemed  difficult  to  foresee  who  would  finally  triumph. 


286  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

In  the  third  Maurice  got  a  nasty  one  in  the  ribs,  but,  feint- 
ing with  his  left,  extended  his  right  rapidly  in  that  dexter- 
ous blow  known  as  "  the  policeman's  knock,"  which,  catching 
Dick  full  on  the  face,  had  the  effect  of  tumbling  him  over 
on  the  grass.  In  the  fourth  round,  however,  Dick  recovered 
his  lost  ground  by  blowing  his  antagonist  first,  then  coming 
home  with  a  tremendous  rap  on  the  left  ear  which  made 
Maurice  see  stars.  The  Greeks  were  frenzied  with  excite- 
ment, and  even  Justinian,  Caliphronas,  and  Crispin  caught 
the  contagion,  and  yelled  as  loudly  as  the  rest  at  every  suc- 
cessful blow.  Not  so  active  as  the  cat-like  sailor,  Maurice 
was  getting  a  trifle  blown,  and  thought  he  was  going  to  dis- 
grace himself  in  Helena's  eyes,  and,  what  was  worse,  in  Cal- 
iphronas', by  being  beaten,  so,  when  the  fifth  round  began, 
made  up  his  mind  to  come  off  best.  By  this  time  he  was 
pretty  well  versed  in  Dick's  tatics,  and  when  the  sailor  closed 
in  with  a  right-hand  feint,  in  order  to  come  home  with  his 
left,  Maurice  dodged  like  lightning,  and,  breaking  down 
Dick's  guard,  punished  him  severely  on  the  nose.  Both 
men's  blood  was  up  now,  and  indeed  Dick's  was  showing,  as 
it  streamed  from  what  is  called,  in  the  graceful  language  of 
the  prize  ring,  "his  smeller,"  and  at  the  sixth  round  the  on- 
lookers saw  that  the  final  bout  would  be  severe. 

All  the  women  were  rather  nervous  at  this  savage  contest, 
and  Helena,  pale  as  a  lily  at  the  sight  of  blood,  was  clinging 
to  her  father's  arm,  inwardly  breathing  prayers  for  the  suc- 
cess of  her  hero,  for  so  she  now  regarded  Maurice.  Dick  had 
now  quite  lost  his  head,  and  was  quite  reckless,  while 
Maurice  was  as  cool  and  calm  as  ever,  his  self-control  stand- 
ing him  in  good  stead  in  parrying  Dick's  furious  onslaughts. 
Still  the  sailor  managed  to  draw  blood  freely,  much  to  the 
secret  joy  of  Caliphronas,  who  would  have  liked  notliing 
better  than  to  see  Maurice's  handsome  face  spoiled,  when 
Roylands,  setting  his  teeth  like  a  vise,  tried  to  close  in  with 
his  opponent  for  the  final  tussle.  For  a  minute  the  two  men 
dodged  rapidly,  feinted,  parried,  sparred,  and  did  their  best 
to  break  down  one  another's  guard,  when  Dick,  losing  his 
self-control,  hit  out  recklessly  in  a  wild  fashion,  upon  which 
Maurice  sent  one  blow  after  another  home  like  a  sledge-ham- 
mer, and  ended  the  fight  with  a  tremendous  left-hander, 
which  levelled  Dick  almost  insensible  on  the  ground. 

Every  man  on  the  ground,  aroused  by  the  sight  of  blood, 
fairly  went  mad,  and  when  Dick  went  off,  supported  by  two 
of  his  messmates,  wanted  to  carry  the  victor  in  schoolboy 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  287 

fashion  round  the  ground  on  their  shoulders,  a  triumph 
which  Maurice  declined,  and  retired  to  cleanse  himself  of 
blood.  Long  after  was  that  tight  remembered,  and  the  local 
poet  made  a  kind  of  Iliad  out  of  the  struggle,  which  was  one 
compared  to  the  triumph  of  Achilles  over  Hector,  Maurice 
of  course  being  the  son  of  silver-footed  Thetis. 

The  sports  went  on  during  the  whole  of  the  long  day,  as 
if  the  competitors  would  never  tire,  and  there  were  flat-racing 
hurdle-racing,  jumping,  wrestling,  and  further  boxing,  until 
late  in  the  afternoon.  Then  Gurt  put  his  men  through  then- 
cutlass  drill,  and  Justinian  manoeuvred  the  whole  male  popu- 
lation of  the  island,  much  to  his  own  satisfaction  and  that 
of  Maurice,  who   saw  that   the    Melnosians  were  capitally 

drilled.  . 

"  Where  did  you  learn  all  your  military  science  ?  he  asked 
Justinian  when  the  drill  was  over. 

"  I  was  in  the  army  once,"  replied  the  old  Demarch,  with 
great  pride. 

"  What  regiment,  may  I  ask  ?" 

"I  cannot  tell  you  that  yet." 

"You  are  as  mysterious  as  Crispin." 

"There  are  a  good  many  mysteries  in  this  Island  of  Fan- 
tasy, Mr.  Pvoylands,"  retorted  Justinian  good-humoredly, 
"  and  when  they  are  all  solved,  you  will  be  surprised  in  more 
ways  than  one.     Have  you  been  a  soldier  yourself  ?  " 

"  No  !  I  am  a  man  of  peace,  but  my  Uncle  Rudolph  was 
a  lieutenant  in  a  line  regiment,  the  — th." 

"  Ah,  your  lost  uncle  ! "  said  the  Demarch,  with  an  ambig- 
uous smile.     "You  must  tell  me  your  family  history  some 

day." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  necessary  soon,"  replied  Maurice, 

glancing  at  Helena. 

"  Ah,  you  think  so  ?  Well,  remember  my  desire  about 
you  being  my  successor,  Maurice.  I  wish  your  answer 
shortly." 

"  You  will  have  it  as  soon  as  I  hear  from  England. 

"  Well,  that  will  be  soon.  I  have  a  boat  waiting  at  Syra 
for  your  letters,  so  I  trust  you  will  get  your  reply,  and  Crispin 
his  yacht,  shortly." 

"  Then  you  still  anticipate  trouble  ?  " 

"  I  do  !  Remember  we  have  one  possessing  the  fatal  name 
of  Helena  here.  She  is  the  firebrand,  as  you  well  know ; 
but  we  will  talk  of  these  things  another  time,  my  son. 
Meanwhile,  let  us  come  and  look  at  the  shooting." 


288  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

As  Maurice  turned  to  accompany  the  old  man,  he  felt  a 
soft  touch  on  his  arm,  and,  on  looking  down,  saw  that  Helena, 
with  an  expression  of  pity  on  her  beautiful  face,  was  look- 
ing at  him. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  Maurice  ?  "  she  said  anxiously. 

*'No,  not  at  all  !  "  he  replied,  laughing.  "Dick  gave  me 
a  nasty  one  on  the  nose,  which  is  rather  painful,  but  nothing 
to  speak  of.  But  to-morrow,  I  will  be  such  a  sight,  as  you 
will  shudder  to  look  on  me." 

"  I  would  rather  see  a  brave  man  disfigured,  than  a  hand- 
some coward,"  retorted  Helena,  with  disdain,  casting  a  side 
look  at  the  distant  form  of  Caliphronas. 

"  Oh,  and  you  think  Caliphronas  is  "  — 

"  Very  nice,"  interrupted  Helena  cruelly.  "  Yes,  he  is  de- 
lightful !  " 

"I  believe  you  are  very  fond  of  Caliphronas,"  said  Mau- 
rice, displeased  at  this  speech. 

"  I  don't  think  you  are,  Maurice,"  pouted  the  girl,  looking 
down. 

"  Assuredly  I'm  not,  and  to  prove  this,  I  will  do  my  best 
to  beat  him  at  the  high  jump  !  " 

"  If  you  do,"  said  Helena  gayly,  "  I  will  give  you  a  rose." 

"  Of  what  color,  you  coquette,  —  red  for  love,  or  white  for 
silence  ?  " 

"  Neither  !     Yellow  for  jealousy  !  " 

She  ran  away  after  her  father  with  a  silvery  laugh,  in 
which  Maurice,  in  spite  of  his  vexation,  could  not  help  join- 
ing, as  the  charming  coquetry  of  this  young  girl  was  delight- 
ful enough  to  fascinate  him,  and  annoying  enough  to  pique 
his  pride,  of  which  Mr.  Roylands  had  no  small  share. 

"  She  is  the  loveliest  woman  in  the  world,"  he  said  to  him- 
self, sauntering  towards  the  shooting  part}^,  "  and  if  I  win 
her  I  will  be  the  most  fortunate  of  beings.  But  I  am  afraid 
she  is  a  coquette,  or  else  it  is  a  woman's  way  of  provoking 
love.  Hullo,  Dick  !  is  this  you  ?  "  he  added  aloud,  as  the 
boatswain,  considerably  battered,  approached  him.  "I'm 
afraid  I've  knocked  you  up  a  bit." 

^'  Not  a  bit  of  it,  sir,"  replied  Dick,  heartily  grasping  tJic 
young  Englishman's  extended  hand.  "  I'll  be  as  right  as  a 
trivet  to-morrow ;  but,  my  word,  sir,  I  shouldn't  like  to  meet 
you  without  the  gloves  !  " 

"  I  don't  know  so  much  about  that,  Dick.  You  were  a 
pretty  tough  antagonist,  I  can  tell  you  ! " 

"  So   Zoe  thought,  sir,  when  she  saw  me,"  grinned  Dick, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  289 

displaying  his  white  teeth;  she  thought  it  was  Gurt, 
sir !  " 

"  And  was  sorry  it  wasn't,  perhaps  ?  " 

"I'm  blest  if  she  was,  Mr.  Roylands !  I'm  the  white- 
haired  boy  in  that  quarter,  sir." 

"And  Gurt?" 

"  Oh,  he  don't  mind,  sir.  He's  not  a  marrying  man  —  I 
am." 

"  And  you  intend  to  marry  Zoe  ?  " 

"  If  she'll  have  me,  sir." 

"I  don't  think  there's  much  fear  of  that,  Dick,"  replied 
Maurice  genially. 

"  I  hope  not,  sir,  but  women  are  queer  creatures." 

"  They  are,  indeed,  Dick,"  answered  Maurice,  with  a  sigh, 
thinking  of  Helena  and  her  dexterity  in  avoiding  his  wooing, 
yet  keeping  him  a  fast  captive  in  her  chains. 

"  What  I'd  like  you  to  do,  sir,"  said  Dick  reflectively,  "  is 
to  have  the  gloves  on  with  Mr.  Caliphronas." 

"  Why  so  ?  " 

For  answer  Dick  pointed  to  his  own  swollen  face,  and 
grinned  meaningly,  whereupon  Maurice  walked  away,  laugh- 
ing to  think  of  the  Count's  handsome  countenance  in  such  a 
scarred  condition. 

The  shooting  was  going  on  splendidly,  and  all  the  Mel- 
nosians  proved  themselves  good  marksmen,  more  or  less, 
while  Justinian  himself  was  a  crack  shot,  and  made  one 
centre  after  the  other  in  a  most  surprising  manner. 

"  Will  you  have  a  try,  Maurice  ?  "  he  said,  when  the  young 
man  reached  him. 

"  Not  to-day,  sir.  I'm  too  shaky  after  that  fight,  and  wish 
to  keep  up  all  my  strength  for  the  high  jump." 

"  You  have  a  tough  antagonist  in  Caliphronas." 

"  I  know  that,"  rejoined  Maurice  uneasily,  "  but  I'm 
hanged  if  I'll  let  him  beat  me.  His  bragging  would  never 
cease.     Bravo,  Crispin  !  " 

Crispin  had  just  made  a  bull's  eye,  and  was  rejoicing  in  a 
modest  way  over  his  success,  so  Maurice,  to  encourage  him, 
patted  his  shoulder. 

"'What  a  pity  Eunice  is  not  here  to  see  !"  said  Boy  lands, 
laughing. 

"  I'm  afraid  Eunice  would  not  appreciate  my  skill !  " 

"  My  dear  lad,  she  would  appreciate  anything  you  did." 

"  I  don't  think  her  mother  would  !  " 

"As  long  as  you  have  twelve  thousand  a  year,  Mrs.  Den- 
gelton  will  think  you  an  Admirable  Crichton," 


290  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Not  without  a  name  !  " 

"  You  have  a  name  as  good  as  any  in  England,"  said  Jus- 
tinian, touching  the  poet  on  the  shoukler,  "and  what  it  is  I 
will  tell  you,  when  all  these  troubles  are  over." 

This  was  the  first  time  the  Demarch  had  spoken  so  plainly, 
and  Crispin  was  much  rejoiced  thereat. 

"I  am  quite  content,  for  I  know  you  will  keep  your 
promise." 

"  You  are  right !  "  rejoined  Justinian  proudly.  "I  never 
break  a  promise,  unless  with  regard  to  Punic  faith." 

Caliphronas  heard  this  saying,  but  of  course  did  not  un- 
derstand the  significance  of  the  remark,  and  strolled  away 
in  order  to  look  at  the  high  jump,  which  was  being  put  up 
near  the  throne  of  Justinian.  The  shooting  being  at  an 
end,  the  rest  of  the  party  followed,  and  took  their  seats  for 
the  final  contest  of  the  day,  which  was  to  be  the  competition 
of  the  Greek  and  the  Englishman  in  the  high  jump. 

The  two  competitors  came  forward,  as  lightly  clad  as  pos- 
sible, in  order  to  give  themselves  every  advantage  in  the 
contest,  and  two  finer  specimens  of  manly  grace  it  would 
have  been  hard  to  find.  Caliphronas  was  as  lithe  and  sin- 
ewy as  a  panther,  with  a  sinuous  grace  in  every  movement ; 
while  Maurice,  who  was  the  heavier-built  of  the  two,  had 
not  a  spare  ounce  of  flesh  on  his  body,  thanks  to  his  active 
athletic  training  during  his  residence  in  Melnos.  Both 
were  fair-haired  and  handsome,  but  the  delicately  moulded 
face  of  the  graceful  Greek  had  a  cunning  expression  which 
was  quite  absent  from  the  more  manly  looks  of  the  English- 
man. With  supreme  conceit  Caliphronas  quite  expected  to 
gain  the  victory,  while  Maurice  in  spite  of  his  University 
record,  could  not  help  feeling  a  trifle  uneasy  as  he  looked  at 
the  springy  grace  of  his  antagonist,  besides  which  he  still 
felt  a  trifle  shaken  by  the  glove-fight,  even  though  it  had 
taken  place  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  day. 

Caliphronas  jumped  first,  and,  poising  himself  on  the  ball 
of  his  foot  about  ten  yards  off,  made  for  the  ta})e,  which  was 
extended  between  two  upright  poles,  with  the  speed  of  a 
deer.  It  was  four  feet  ten  high,  and,  presenting  no  obstacle 
to  an  accomplished  leaper  like  himself,  he  cleared  it  easily 
with  the  lightness  of  a  flying  bird.  ^laurice  followed,  and 
also  went  over  without  the  least  difficult}^,  amid  the  applause 
of  the  spectators,  much  to  the  Greek's  secret  vexation,  as  he 
saw  his  antagonist  was  fresher  than  he  thought,  and  no  mean 
athlete  to  be  scorned.     Four  eleven  was  also  cleared  cleanly 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  291 

by  both,  though  in  the  air  Maurice's  feet  were  perilously 
near  the  tape,  a  fact  which  Caliphronas,  who  was  eagerly 
watching,  noted  with  delight.  The  height  was  now  five  feet, 
at  which  Caliphronas,  unfortunately  for  himself,  went  with 
over-confidence,  so  that  he  touched  the  tape  lightly.  In- 
tensely vexed  at  his  failure,  he  could  only  hope  that  Maurice 
also  would  touch,  but  the  Englishman  set  his  teeth  deter- 
minedly, and  cleared  the  five  feet  with  the  bound  of  a  deer. 
The  Greek,  mad  with  anger  at  thus  being  beaten,  and  furious 
at  the  applause  of  the  spectators,  loudly  swore  that  the  jump 
was  a  chance  one,  whereupon  Maurice  walked  straight  up  to 
him,  with  an  angry  face. 

"  Count  Caliphronas,  you  forget  yourself,  and  you  forget 
me,  to  make  such  a  statement.  There  was  no  fluke  about  the 
matter,  and,  to  prove  it  to  you,  we  will  both  jump  the  five 
over  again." 

Justinian  disapproved  of  this,  but  Maurice  was  firm,  and 
Caliphronas  was  only  too  delighted  to  have  another  chance 
of  beating  his  hated  enemy  ;  so,  once  more  going  to  the  start, 
he  made  a  rapid  run,  and  cleared  the  jump,  by  a  hair's 
breadth,  it  is  true  —  still  he  cleared  it. 

"]S"ow,  Mr.  Maurice,"  he  said  ungenerously,  forgetting  the 
noble  way  in  which  the  Englishman  had  acted.  "  Let  us 
see  if  you  can  do  that  twice." 

"  I  will  not  do  it  twice,  sir." 

"  I  thought  not ! "  retorted  the  Greek  exultantly  ;  "  so  I 
have  won." 

"Not  yet !  you  forget  I  also  have  cleared  the  five ;  but,  to 
prove  to  you  that  my  jump  was  no  fluke,  I  challenge  you  to 
five  one." 

"  You'll  never  do  it,  Maurice,"  whispered  Crispin  in  alarm. 
"Jump  the  five  again,  and  let  the  match  be  a  tie." 

"  I'm  hanged  if  I  will !  "  retorted  the  Englishman  fiercely  ; 
"  I  have  done  better  than  five  one  at  Oxford,  and  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  gloves,  I'd  do  it  again.  At  all  events,  I'll 
try  this  jump.  Count  Caliphronas." 

In  fair  play  the  Count  could  not  refuse  the  challenge, 
although  he  was  pale  with  anger,  so,  knowing  he  would 
never  clear  that  extra  inch,  went  half-heartedly  towards  the 
start.  Such  a  faint  spirit  is  not  conducive  to  victory,  and 
Caliphronas  not  only  touched,  but  fell  heavily  on  the  ground, 
much  to  his  chagrin.  Then  it  was  Maurice's  turn,  and, 
measuring  the  distance  with  his  eye,  he  placed  himself  a 
little  more  than  ten  ^'ards  from  the  tape.     Helena  clasped 


292  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

her  hands  with  nervous  fear,  the  spectators  held  their  breath, 
as  Maurice,  pale  in  face,  but  stout  in  heart,  came  flying  for- 
ward, and,  soaring  upward  like  a  bird,  cleared  the  five  one 
with  consummate  ease.  There  was  a  wild  cheer  from  the 
crowd,  especially  from  the  British  tars,  who  rejoiced  greatly 
at  the  way  in  which  Maurice  was  upholding  the  honor  of 
England,  and  the  victor  found  his  two  hands  nearly  shaken 
off  by  Crispin  and  Justinian.  As  soon  as  he  could  get  free, 
he  looked  for  Caliphronas,  but  the  Greek,  too  petty-souled 
to  bear  his  defeat,  had  vanished,  nor  was  he  seen  in  the 
arena  for  the  rest  of  the  afternoon. 

The  games  being  concluded,  Helena  distributed  the  prizes, 
which  were  useful  articles,  especially  selected  by  Justinian 
for  these  occasions.  Caliphronas  had  won  several  races,  and 
also  the  wrestling  contest,  but  could  not  receive  his  prize, 
owing  to  his  non-appearance,  concerning  which  no  one  seemed 
sorry,  so  universally  was  he  hated  for  his  arrogance.  Temis- 
tocles,  Dick,  Gurt,  and  others  were  duly  rewarded  for  their 
prowess  in  the  athletic  field,  and  then  Maurice  knelt  before 
Helena  to  receive  his  prize.  Justinian  had  been  somewhat 
puzzled  what  to  give  his  guest,  as  the  simple  articles  loved 
by  the  villagers  were  hardly  acceptable  to  the  travelled 
Englishman.  Helena,  however,  solved  the  problem,  and 
hastily  twisted  together  a  wreath  of  wild  olives,  which  she 
placed  lightly  on  his  bent  head. 

"  For  you,"  said  Justinian,  as  he  arose  a  crowned  victor, 
and  kissed  the  hand  of  Helena,  "we  can  have  no  fairer 
prize  than  the  Olympian  wreath  of  old." 

"  You  should  now  have  a  Pindaric  ode,"  exclaimed  Crispin 
gayly ;  ''  but  alas  !  I  am  not  Pindar,  and  you  must  be  con- 
tent with  the  old  Archilochian  shout,  '  Hail,  Victorious  ! '  " 

The  valley  rang  with  the  cries  of  the  delighted  Greeks ; 
and  Caliphronas,  seated  on  a  summit  of  the  grand  staircase, 
heard  the  triumphal  shouts  with  wrath  in  his  heart. 

'•'  He  has  beaten  me  in  the  games,"  he  hissed  between  his 
clinched  teeth,  "  but  he  shall  not  beat  me  in  love.  I  will 
ask  Helena  to  be  my  wife,  and  then,  my  Englishman ! " 

A  third  shout  came  from  the  valley  below,  but  Caliphronas 
only  laughed  scornfully. 

"  And  then,  my  Englishman ! " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  293 

CHAPTER   XXVI. 

BEAUTIFUL    PARIS,    EVIL-HEAKTED    PARIS. 

What!  wouldst  thou  force  me  to  thine  evil  will, 

And  bear  me  far  away  in  benched  ships, 

A  second  Helen  to  a  second  Troy, 

Whose  flight  would  raise  a  second  ten  years'  war  ? 

Nay,  sir !  the  gods  are  dead !  and  not  in  me 

Beholdest  thou  proud  Aphrodite's  slave. 

My  judgment's  as  I  will,  and  uncontrolled 

By  Venus,  who  would  fain  bestow  on  thee 

The  fairest  woman,  so  that  thou  proclaim 

Her  fairest  of  Olympian  goddesses. 

Go  hence  alone!  I'll  none  of  thee  or  thine. 

Troy's  fallen,  and  Helen  dead,  —  so  Paris  loses 

The  game  which  Ate's  cursed  fruit  began. 

"  You  beat  me  fairly/'  said  Caliphronas  frankly  to  Maurice 
that  night.  "  It  was  foolish  of  me  to  be  angry,  but  you 
must  admit  defeat  is  hard  to  bear." 

The  Greek  did  not  mean  a  word  of  this  very  pretty  speech, 
as  Maurice  was  well  aware ;  still  he  could  not  but  accept  it 
as  meant  in  good  faith,  and  thus  a  hollow  truce  was  made 
between  the  two  young  men  which  either  was  ready  to 
break  on  the  slightest  provocation.  However,  it  was  a  pity 
to  mar  the  pleasantness  of  the  evening  by  continuous  bick- 
ering ;  so,  with  smiles  on  their  faces  and  distrust  in  their 
hearts,  Caliphronas  and  his  declared  enemy  sat  down  to 
table  on  apparently  the  best  of  terms  with  one  another. 

On  their  return  from  the  games,  all  had  enjoyed  the 
delights  of  the  bath,  no  small  pleasure  after  a  fatiguing  day, 
and  now,  in  their  loose  indoor  robes,  were  partaking  of 
refreshment.  All  was  going  merril}',  and,  from  an  outside 
point  of  view,  a  more  united  party  could  scarcely  be  found ; 
yet  one  and  all  felt  that  this  was  but  the  ominous  calm  be- 
fore the  breaking  of  the  storm.  The  Demarch,  astute  in  the 
interpreting  of  signs,  saw  that  matters  were  approaching  a 
crisis  which  could  not  be  averted,  and  that  the  disaffection 
of  Caliphronas,  consequent  on  his  refusal  by  Helena,  would 
take  place  sooner  than  had  been  anticipated.  That  the  Count 
would  propose  to  his  daughter  that  evening  he  had  but  little 
doubt,  as  he  saw  that,  smarting  under  his  defeat  in  the  games, 
Caliphronas  was  determined  to  equalize  himself  in  the  eyes 
of   all  by  gaining  Helena's  consent  to  the  marriage,  as   a 


294  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

set-off  against  the  Englishman's  triumph.  This  being  the 
case,  Justinian  was  equally  sure  that  Helena  would  promptly 
refuse  the  Greek,  whom  she  so  much  disliked  ;  in  which  case 
Caliphronas  would  call  upon  him  to  enforce  the  marriage,  and 
then  the  whole  truth  would  have  to  be  revealed,  after  which 
the  Demarch  had  little  doubt  but  that  the  Count's  next  step 
would  be  to  leave  the  island  and  range  himself  openly  on 
the  side  of  Alcibiades. 

Truth  to  tell,  the  old  man  was  rather  anxious  for  the  storm 
to  burst,  as  the  suspense  was  rapidly  becoming  unbearable ; 
and  as,  judging  from  the  review  that  day,  all  the  Melnosians 
were  well  prepared  for  war,  he  did  not  mind  if  Caliphronas, 
out  of  wounded  vanity,  precipitated  the  affair  quicker  than 
was  expected.  Again,  as  the  Greek  had  told  him  all  the 
plans  of  Alcibiades,  he  had  no  further  use  for  him  ;  so, 
being  prepared  in  every  way  for  trouble,  Justinian  was  in 
no  wise  sorry  that  affairs  should  come  to  a  head,  and  that 
Alcibiades  and  his  threatened  invasion  should  be  crushed  at 
once.  The  insolence  of  Caliphronas  also  was  becoming  un- 
bearable to  the  proud  old  Demarch,  therefore  he  desired  to 
hasten  rather  than  retard  the  explosion ;  and,  had  he  not 
seen  that  Caliphronas  was  bent  upon  bringing  matters  to  a 
crisis  himself,  would  have  doubtless  hinted  the  necessity  of 
a  marriage  proposal  being  made  at  once. 

With  Maurice  and  Caliphronas  veiling  their  hatred  of  each 
other  under  artificial  smiles,  witli  Justinian  watchful  for  the 
expected  catastrophe,  with  Helena  anxious,  she  knew  not 
why,  at  the  Greek's  burning  glances,  it  will  be  easily  seen  that 
the  merriment  over  the  supper-table  was  rather  forced.  The 
only  truly  happy  member  of  the  party  was  Crispin,  who, 
unsuspicious  of  ill,  and  rejoicing  in  having  the  promise  of 
the  Demarch  to  reveal  all  about  his  parentage,  was  laughing 
and  jesting  gayly  in  the  highest  of  spirits. 

"  i  think  you  can  congratulate  yourself  on  the  three  days 
of  the  festival  being  a  perfect  success,"  he  said  to  Justinian, 
who  sat  veiling  his  real  feelings  under  a  quiet  smile. 

"Yes;  everything  went  off  very  well.  Andros,  you,  as 
the  god  of  wine,  were  the  hero  of  the  first  day." 

"And  Crispin,  as  J^schylus- Aristophanes,  of  the  second," 
cried  Maurice  brightly. 

"  Not  forgetting  Maurice,  as  the  athlete  Milo  of  the  third," 
replied  the  poet,  raising  his  glass. 

"  Oh  dear,  dear  !  "  said  Helena,  with  a  merry  smile  ;  "  I 
am  afraid  this  is  a  mutual  admiration  society.     God,  poet, 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  295 

athlete ;  you  are  all  flattering  yourselves,  but  no  one  says  a 
good  word  for  me." 

"It  is  impossible  to  flatter  perfection,"  remarked  Cali- 
phronas  with  one  of  his  burning  glances ;  "besides,  you  have 
been  the  queen  of  the  three  days,  and  we  are  all  secondary 
cliaracters.     The  stars  are  not  the  rivals  of  the  sun." 

"  Why  did  you  not  say  the  moon  ?  "  said  Helena,  fastening 
a  red  rose  in  the  breast  of  her  robe.  "I  love  the  moon 
better  than  the  sun." 

"  You  are  the  inviolate  Artemis  !  " 

"  Without  an  Endymion." 

It  was  an  unlucky  remark,  and  Helena  regretted  having 
made  it  when  she  saw  how  fiercely  her  two  lovers  glanced  at 
one  another. 

"Artemis  waited  a  long  time  for  her  shepherd,  but  he 
came  at  last,"  said  the  Greek  significantly. 

"And  did  nothing  but  sleep  when  he  did  come,"  cried 
Maurice  angrily  ;  "  a  pretty  lover  truly  !  Helena,  you  are  no 
moon-goddess,  but  your  namesake  of  Troy — the  world's 
desire." 

"  Yet  even  Helen  had  her  Paris,"  interposed  Caliphronas 
quickly. 

"  Every  woman  has  her  Paris  nowadays,"  said  Crispin 
quickly,  to  forestall  the  angry  reply  of  the  rival  lover; 
"  only  it  is  a  city  instead  of  a  man,  which  is  just  as  charm- 
ing and  more  manageable.  If  Menelaus  had  been  ruler  of 
Lutetia,  Helen  would  never  have  been  persuaded  to  leave  it 
for  a  dull  provincial  town  like  Troy." 

"  '  Beautiful  Paris,  evil-hearted  Paris  ! '  "  observed  Jus- 
tinian quietly.  "Tennyson's  line  would  apply  equally  to 
the  son  of  Priam  or  the  city  of  pleasure.  There,  Crispin,  is 
the  subject  for  a  song,  which  idea  I  will  make  you  a  present 
of  for  nothing." 

"  Sing  of  Paris  the  city,"  cried  Helena  vivaciously. 

"No,  Paris  the  man,"  said  Maurice,  with  a  glance  at 
Caliphronas. 

"  Sing  of  both,"  rejoined  that  gentleman  quickly,  out  of 
sheer  contradiction. 

"It  is  a  hard  task  to  improvise  on  so  difficult  a  subject  as 
'the  Paris  of  Paris,'"  remarked  Crispin  jestingly;  "how- 
ever, I  will  try,  although  I  have  no  lyre." 

"Take  this  myrtle,"  said  Helena,  tossing  him  a  twig  across 
the  table,  "  and  sing  to  it  in  the  Greek  fashion." 

"  Maurice,  you  ought  to  give  me  your  crown,  so  that  myrtle 
and  olive  inspire  me  with  the  breath  of  the  god." 


296  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

^•'King  Pandion  he  is  dead,' "  rejoined  Maurice  lightly. 
"The  gods  inspire  no  songs  to-day,  nor  would  they  be 
answerable  for  a  mixture  of  the  classic  and  romantic,  such 
as  your  '  Paris  of  Paris '  is  bound  to  be." 

"Judge  for  yourself,  Thersites,"  retorted  the  poet;  and, 
holding  the  sprig  of  myrtle  in  his  hand,  after  a  few  moments' 
thought,  he  began  to  sing  in  his  pleasant  voice  the  following 
words  to  a  lively  French  air. 

"Paris  came  to  Helen  when 
Earth  was  younger; 
He  was  handsomest  of  men, 
She  was  fairest  woman  then; 

And  love's  hunger 
Made  them  long  to  run  away, 
Which  they  did  one  pleasant  day  — 
So,  at  least,  does  Homer  say  — 
Scandal-monger  ! 

Helen  comes  to  Paris  now 

Earth  is  older. 
But  no  love  shines  on  her  brow, 
Nor  breaks  she  a  marriage-vow, 

Love  is  colder. 
She  but  comes  for  triumphs  here, 
Dressed  by  Worth  in  costumes  dear, 
Lets  existence  gay  pour  rire 

Lightly  mould  her. 

Yet  if  Paris,  town  of  joy, 

Holds  a  Paris, 
Charming  as  the  Trojan  boy. 
Life  is  bliss  without  alloy  ; 

There  no  bar  is 
To  indulge  in  love  once  more  ; 
So  with  Paris,  as  of  yore, 
Flies  she  as  she  fled  before, 

But  she  marries." 

"  Oh,  '  Eoses  of  Shiraz  ! '  "  sighed  Maurice  comically, 
"  what  would  your  admirers  say  if  they  heard  such  vers  de 
societe  ?  " 

"  Improvisation  is  hardly  serious  work  !  "  retorted  Crispin 
coolly,  drinking  his  wine. 

"  And  your  sentiments  !  "  cried  Caliphronas  in  mock  horror. 
"  You  have  made  Helen  prim." 

"'Tis  in  keeping  with  this  virtuous  century." 

"  For  my  part,"  said  Helena  of  Melnos  playfully,  "  I  think 
your  modern  reading  of  the  story  is  charming.  Crispin,  I 
appoint  you  my  poet  laureate." 

"  And  my  wages  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  297 

"A  wreath  of  artificial  laurels,  for,  indeed,  your  song  is  but 
worthy  of  such." 

''Cruel !     And  I  always  thought  you  so  soft-hearted." 

"Never  judge  by  outward  appearances,"  said  Helena, 
rising  from  her  seat.  "  I  am  as  hard-hearted  as  papa  —  on 
occasions." 

"  I  hope  not  on  all  occasions  ?  "  observed  Caliphronas,  with 
emphasis. 

"Entirely  depends  upon  the  situation.  To  you,  now,  I 
could  refuse  nothing  —  if  I  were  inclined  to  grant  your 
request." 

She  vanished,  laughing,  through  the  curtains,  and  Maurice 
looked  at  Justinian,  to  see  if  he  had  espied  any  hidden 
meaning  in  his  daughter's  words ;  but  the  face  of  the  old 
Demarch  was  as  expressionless  as  a  mask,  while  the  Count's, 
bright  with  joy,  betrayed  the  certainty  he  felt  of  receiving 
an  answer  in  the  affirmative  to  his  proposal  of  marriage. 
Truly,  women  are  queer  creatures,  as  Dick  had  observed  the 
previous  day.  And  if  Helena  did  not  intend  to  marry 
Caliphronas,  it  was  curious  that  she  should  thus  raise  up  his 
hopes,  only  to  dash  them  down  again.  Juliet,  with  her 
simile  of  a  silk-gyved  bird,  trying  to  fly  away,  yet  ever 
drawn  back  again  by  the  detaining  thread,  is  a  typical 
woman,  who  scorns  her  lover,  so  that  he  departs  angrily,  yet, 
when  she  sees  him  leaving  her,  woos  him  back  with  tender 
words,  only  to  repeat  her  former  cruelty.  Helena,  in  spite 
of  her  girlish  simplicity,  yet  knew  these  two  men  were  in 
love  with  her,  and  tortured  the  one  and  was  kind  to  the 
other,  turn  and  turn  about,  just  as  it  suited  her  humor  — 
why,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  unless  the  legend  that  every 
woman  was  once  a  cat  be  true,  and  they  yet  retain  a  suffi- 
ciency of  the  feline  nature  to  make  them  love  such  cruel 
mouse  play.  Yesterday  Helena  said  she  disliked  the  Greek, 
now  she  roundly  asserted  she  could  refuse  him  nothing;  and, 
whether  she  was  in  earnest  or  fun,  there  was  no  doubt  that 
the  Count  was  about  to  take  her  at  her  word,  and  ask  her  to 
become  his  wife. 

In  spite  of  Crispin's  valiant  efforts,  the  conversation  Ir.n- 
guished  after  the  departure  of  Helena,  the  Demarch  being 
somewhat  preoccupied,  and  Maurice  too  cross  to  talk ; 
while  Caliphronas,  after  replying  mechanically  for  a  time, 
finally  went  off  in  search  of  the  lady  he  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  marry.  All  the  three  men  left  at  the  table  looked 
meaningly  at  one  another,  for  they  guessed  the  reason  of  his 


298  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

sudden  exit,  yet  none  of  them  made  any  reference  to  the 
affair,  as  it  would  be  quite  time  enough  to  discuss  it  when 
Caliphronas  was  refused. 

Meanwliile,  Caliphronas  rushed  onward  to  his  fate,  in 
utter  ignorance  of  the  real  feelings  which  Helena  enter- 
tained towards  him,  and  found  her  leaning  against  one  of 
the  pillars  in  the  court,  listening  to  the  singing  of  a  night- 
ingale, much  in  the  same  position  she  had  occupied  when 
first  seen  by  Maurice,  two  months  previous.  She  turned 
with  a  smile  when  the  Greek  entered  the  court,  but  he  held 
up  his  hand  for  her  to  keep  silence,  and  both  of  them  for 
some  time  continued  to  listen  to  the  delicious  music.  The 
passionate  song  of  the  distant  bird  flooding  the  warm  night 
with  melody,  the  thin,  pale  light  of  the  moon  pouring  in 
white  radiance  on  the  white  marble  court,  the  intoxicating 
perfume  of  the  flowers  around,  and  the  delicate  noise  of  the 
falling  fountain,  all  thrilled  the  heart  of  the  impressionable 
Greek  with  a  sensuous  feeling  of  delight,  and  stretching  out 
his  hand  gently,  he  laid  it  lightly  on  the  bare  arm  of  the 
girl  he  loved. 

Startled  by  the  touch,  Helena  rather  indignantly  turned 
round  to  reprove  him  for  taking  such  a  liberty,  but  the 
words  died  on  her  lips,  as  she  saw  the  handsome  face  of  this 
man,  irradiated  with  passionate  love,  bending  towards  her. 
Tall  and  straight  as  a  cypress,  his  lithe  figure  gracefully 
draped  in  a  white  robe,  he  looked  like  some  gracious  deity 
of  the  past,  wooing  a  mortal  maiden,  while  the  burning  gaze 
of  his  eyes  seemed  to  scorch  her  with  its  ardor.  It  was 
the  animal  look  in  them  that  thus  made  her  flush  hotly,  and, 
with  a  sudden  movement  of  outraged  virginal  dignity,  she 
retreated  slowly  towards  the  silver  pool  of  the  fountain. 

"  Do  not  shrink  from  me  like  that,  Helena !  "  murmured 
Caliphronas  in  Greek,  as  he  came  towards  her  lightly  as  a 
fawn.     "  I  wish  to  tell  you  the  meaning  of  the  bird's  song." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Andros  ?  "  she  asked  uneasily. 

''  Do  you  think  Aristophanes  understood  it  ?  "  pursued  the 
Greek,  taking  no  notice  of  her  question ;  "  he  put  it  into 
words,  you  know.  Tio  !  tio  !  tio-tiolix  —  No,  that  is  not  the 
song,  but  a  mere  assemblage  of  words.  What  is  the  divine 
nightingale  now  singing  ?  Can  you  not  guess  ?  It  is  of 
love  —  of  love  —  of  love  !  My  love  for  you  —  your  love  for 
me,  my  queen.  Hark !  out  the  strains  gush  rapturously 
through  the  night  —  it  is  speaking  of  love  eternal  —  my  love 
for  thee,  joy  of  my  heart !  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  299 

^•'  You  jest,  Andros  ! "  said  Helena  faintly,  not  at  all  liking 
the  tone  of  this  poetical  rhapsody. 

"Jest!"  cried  Caliphronas,  ardently  seizing  her  hand; 
"  no,  I  speak  true  to  you,  rose  of  this  isle  !  I  love  you  !  I 
worship  you  !     I  desire  you  for  my  wife  !  " 

"  Your  wife ! "  she  echoed,  snatching  her  hand  away. 
"  Are  you  mad  ?  " 

"  With  love  of  thee  —  yes  !  " 

"  Do  not  touch  me,  sir.     How  dare  you  insult  me  !  " 

» Insult ! "  said  Caliphronas,  starting  as  if  he  were  stung. 
"  What  do  you  mean,  girl  ?     Is  the  offer  of  a  man's  heart  an 

insult  ? "  .....  T. 

"  You  are  surely  not  in  earnest,"  said  the  girl,  much  per- 
plexed what  to  say.     "  I  had  no  idea  you  loved  me  ! " 

"I  am  in  earnest,  and  I  do  love  you,"  declared  Caliphronas 
with  fiery  energy,  coming  so  close  to  her  that  she  could  feel 
his  hot  breath  on  her  cheek.  "  You  must  have  seen  my  pas- 
sion long  since.  I  want  you  to  be  my  wife  —  your  father 
and  I  have  settled  it  between  us." 

It  was  the  worst  speech  that  he  could  have  made,  for  Hel- 
ena, with  a  cry  of  rage,  pushed  him  fiercely  back,  and  stood 
before  him  with  clinched  hands,  her  eyes  bright  with  indig- 
nation. 

"  How  dare  you !  how  dare  you !  Am  I  not  to  be  con- 
sulted in  the  matter  —  do  you  think  I  will  allow  myself  to 
be  handed  over  to  you  like  a  slave?  Never!  I  would 
rather  die  !  I  will  not  be  your  wife  !  I  refuse  to  listen  to 
you !  " 

"But  you  do  not  understand,"  said  Caliphronas,  rather 
crestfallen  at  this  sudden  outburst  of  anger. 

"  I  do  understand.  You  have  spoken  to  my  father,  and 
he  has  permitted  you  to  ask  me  to  be  your  wife,  but,  as  to 
its  being  settled  —how  dare  you  !  I  will  not  be  your  wife  ! 
Don't  you  dare  to  suggest  such  a  thing  to  me  ! " 

"'I  mean  to  be  heard,"  began  the  Greek,  but  she  cut  him 
short  with  a  sudden  stamp  of  her  foot. 

"  You  can  mean  what  you  like,"  she  said  imperiously, 
"  but  heard  you  will  not  be  !  " 

"  You  beautiful  fury  !  " 

"  Go  away  and  leave  me  !  " 

"  Helena,"  cried  the  Count,  falling  on  his  knees,  "  I  love 
you !     I  adore  vou !     Do  not  refuse  to  be  my  wife." 

"  I  do  refuse"!  " 

"But  your  father?" 


300  THE  ISLAND   OF  FAXTASY. 

"  Leave  ray  father  out  of  the  question,  Andros.  You  have 
asked  me  to  be  your  wife,  and  I  tell  you  plainly,  No.  Per- 
haps I  have  been  rather  angry,  but  when  you  ask  a  woman 
to  honor  you  by  becoming  your  wife,  you  should  not  treat 
her  as  if  she  were  a  bundle  of  goods  to  be  handed  from  one 
man  to  another." 

"  You  refuse  me  ? "  asked  Caliphronas,  hardly  able  to 
believe  his  own  ears. 

"  I  do,  once  and  for  all !  Come,  Andros,  stop  talking  such 
nonsense,  and  forget  all  this  scene." 

"  Why  will  you  not  be  my  wife  ?  "  asked  the  Count  dog- 
gedly, rising  from  his  knees. 

"  Because  I  do  not  love  you." 

"  Kot  love  me  !  " 

"  No,  my  sultan.  Do  you  think  I  am  a  woman  to  fall  at 
your  feet  when  you  thus  throw  the  handkerchief  ?  " 

Caliphronas,  who  had  suppressed  his  rage  with  difficulty, 
now  burst  out  in  a  passion  of  furious  anger,  hardly  knowing 
what  he  was  saying. 

"  I  know  the  reason  you  refuse  me.  Yes,  you  do  well  to 
turn  away  your  head.  You  love  this  cursed  Englishman. 
Ah,  you  cannot  deny  it !  you  are  afraid  to  look  me  in  the 
face." 

"  I  am  not  afraid  —  there  ! " 

She  faced  him  boldly,  and  the  Greek,  maddened  beyond 
control,  seized  her  by  the  wrist  with  a  grasp  like  iron,  yet 
she  neither  winced  nor  cried. 

"  Is  it  thus  a  woman  should  proffer  her  love  ?  "  hissed 
Caliphronas,  white  with  passion ;  "  this  Englishman  loves 
you  not,  and  yet  you  throw  yourself  at  his  feet." 

"  I  do  not.  Let  go  my  hand  ! "  she  cried,  wincing  with 
pain,  yet  keeping  a  bold  front,  upon  which  he  flung  her  from 
him  with  a  furious  oath. 

"  I  will  marry  you,  in  spite  of  your  refusal." 

"Never !     I  will  die  rather  than  be  your  wife." 

The  young  man  tried  to  speak,  but,  choking  with  passion, 
could  say  nothing,  so,  stamping  with  impotent  fury,  he 
rushed  to  the  principal  entrance  of  the  court  and  tore  aside 
the  curtains. 

"  You  have  refused  to  marry  me,"  he  cried  in  a  strangled 
voice.  '•  I  accept  your  refusal,  but  you  will  be  mine  soon. 
I  will  storm  the  island,  I  will  drag  you  in  chains  away,  and 
when  I  tire  of  you  then  will  I  sell  you  as  a  slave  to  the 
Turk ! " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  301 

He  dashed  out  of  the  court  with  a  scream  of  rage,  leaving 
Helena  standing  white  as  a  marble  statue,  with  her  hands 
across  her  breast,  which  was  heaving  tempestuously  with 
rage  at  the  Greek's  insolence.  If  she  had,  girl  as  she  was, 
refused  the  offer  of  Caliphronas  in  a  somewhat  undignified 
manner,  she  was  now  every  inch  a  woman,  who,  not  knowing 
the  meaning  of  the  word  "  fear,"  was  fiercely  angered  at  the 
insult  to  her  womanly  pride.  The  soft,  graceful  girl  had 
disappeared,  and  in  her  place  stood  Clytemnestra,  fearlessly 
daring  the  dagger  of  Orestes.  Suddenly  she  felt  a  touch  on 
her  arm. 

"  Father  ! " 

"I  know  what  has  occurred.  You  are  worn  out  with 
excitement,  so  go  at  once  to  bed." 

"  But  Andros  "  — 

"I  will  deal  with  him." 

"  You  know  I  refused  him." 

^'  Yes,  I  heard  you  say  so." 

"  Was  it  your  wish  I  should  marry  him,  as  he  said  ?  " 

"  Girl,  I  would  rather  see  you  dead  than  the  wife  of  that 
despicable  coward,"  retorted  the  Demarch  fiercely.  "  Now 
retire  at  once,  and  leave  me  to  settle  the  matter.  Good- 
night." 

"  Good-night,  father." 

She  turned  to  go  with  an  air  of  utter  lassitude,  but  the 
strain  of  the  last  half  hour  had  completely  broken  her  down, 
and  suddenly,  with  a  low  cry,  she  burst  into  tears.  Justin- 
ian caught  her  in  his  arms,  and  began  to  soothe  her  tenderly 
with  endearing  words,  which  moved  the  girl  strangely,  for 
she  was  quite  unused  to  such  caresses  from  her  iron-natured 
father. 

'•  My  girl,  my  little  child,  you  must  not  weep  !  "  whispered 
the  old  man,  kissing  her  white  face.  "  All  will  yet  be  well, 
and  never  shall  you  see  this  vile  Andros  again.  He  shall 
leave  the  island  at  once.  You  did  well  to  refuse  him,  and  I 
am  proud  of  the  spirit  you  displayed.  Come,  come  !  you 
must  weep  no  more.     I  know  all." 

"  You  know  ?  "  she  faltered,  looking  at  him  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Yes,  I  know,  and  I  approve.  Now,  good-night,  my  dar- 
ling, and  sleep  well." 

He  led  her  slowly  to  the  door,  and,  having  summoned  Zoe, 
sent  the  girl  to  bed  at  once  in  charge  of  her  maid,  then 
returned  to  the  centre  of  the  court  and  looked  froAvningly 


302  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

at  the  entrance  through  which  Caliphronas  had  disap 
peared. 

"  You  dared  to  speak  like  that  to  my  child  !  "  he  murmured 
fiercely.  "  It  is  well  you  fled,  or,  old  as  I  am,  you  would  not 
have  left  this  court  alive.  It  is  war  between  us  now,  Andros, 
and  if  I  gain  the  victory,  you  had  better  have  died  than 
spoken  as  you  have  done  to-night." 

Maurice,  whistling  gayly,  came  into  the  court,  having  left 
Crispin  behind  at  the  table,  but,  when  he  caught  sight  of 
Justinian's  face,  stopped  short  in  dismay. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Justinian  ?  " 

"  Nothing  more  than  what  I  expected." 

"About  Caliphronas?" 

"  Yes ;  he  has  proposed  to  Helena,  and  she  has  refused 
him." 

Maurice  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief. 

"  I  am  glad  of  that ;  now  there  will  be  a  chance  for  me." 

"  You  love  my  daughter  ?  "  asked  the  Demarch  suddenly. 

"Yes,  I  love  her,"  replied  Roy  lands  simply;  "I  have 
always  loved  her." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that,  Maurice." 

"  You  will  permit  me  to  ask  Helena  to  be  my  wife  ?  " 

"Willingly.  It  is  my  dearest  wish;  in  fact,  it  was  for 
that  reason  I  brought  you  here." 

"Brought  me  here,  sir!"  said  E-oylands  in  amazement. 
"  Why,  did  you  know  I  was  coming  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  sent  Caliphronas  to  England  to  persuade  you  if 
possible  to  pay  me  a  visit." 

"  But  how  did  you  know  such  a  person  as  I  was  in  exist- 


ence 


9" 


The  old  Demarch  took  Maurice  by  the  hand  and  spoke 
solemnly. 

"  When  you  propose  to  and  are  accepted  by  my  daughter, 
I  will  tell  you  all,  and  the  mysteries  which  have  so  perplexed 
you  shall  do  so  no  longer." 

"I  will  speak  to  Helena  to-morrow." 

"  Good.  Then  to-morrow  I  will  tell  you  who  I  am,  and 
how  I  was  able  to  know  all  about  you." 

"  But  suppose  Helena  refuses  me  ?  " 

Justinian  smiled  slightly. 

"  She  has  refused  Andros,  but  you  —  ah,  that  is  quite  a 
different  thing." 

"Still"  — 

"  Tush,  my  son,  you  are  too  modest !     In  my  days  young 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  303 

men  were  not  so  faint-hearted.  Helena's  a  woman,  therefore 
may  be  wooed." 

'•  True,  but  the  question  is,  may  she  be  won  ? '' 

"  uVIy  good  Mr.  Roy  lands,  did  I  not  promise  to  tell  you  all 
about  myself  when  you  presented  yourself  as  my  future  son- 
in-law  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

'•  Well,  by  this  time  to-morrow  you  will  know  all,  so  as  to 
what  will  occur  in  the  mean  time,  I  will  leave  to  your  ima- 
gination." 

"  And  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  Caliphronas,"  repeated  the  Demarch  slowly,  "  means 
mischief,  so,  like  the  knights  of  old,  you  will  win  your  bride 
at  the  point  of  the  sword." 

"  Oh,  Justinian,  if  3'ou  only  knew  how  I  love  her ! " 

The  nightingale,  hitherto  silent,  now  began  its  song,  upon 
which  the  old  man  good-humoredly  pushed  Maurice  to  the 
door. 

"  Go  to  bed,  my  son ;  that  bird  will  tell  me  the  tale  of  love 
much  better  than  you  wilL" 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

THE    ALTAR    INSCRIBED    ©EON. 

By  this  altar  stone  I  swear 

Never  more  to  part  from  thee ; 

Thine  in  life  and  death  to  be, 
And  thy  future  fortunes  share 

Be  the  weather  wild  or  fair, 

Dry  on  land  or  wet  at  sea, 

This  vow  shall  be  kept  by  me, 
By  this  altar  stone  I  swear. 

The  next  morning  neither  Helena  nor  Caliphronas  was 
present  at  breakfast,  as  the  girl,  in  company  with  Zoe,  had 
gone  up  the  mountain  shortly  after  sunrise  in  quest  of 
flowers,  and  the  Greek  had  not  been  near  the  Acropolis  since 
he  had  left  it  the  previous  niglit. 

'•  Can  he  have  left  the  island  ?  "  said  Maurice  anxiously  to 
the  Demarch. 

"  Hardly/'  replied  the  old  man  grimly  j  "  unless  he  has 


304  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

borrowed  the  wings  of  Icarus,  for  I  alone  have  the  key  of  the 
tunnel." 

"  There  is  the  western  pass,"  suggested  Crispin  thought- 
fully. 

""True  ;  but  even  supposing  he  did  get  to  the  sea-beach, 
he  will  find  it  ditficult  to  obtain  a  boat,"  said  Justinian  calmly. 
''  All  the  boats  are  fast  chained  and  padlocked  to  the  rocks  ; 
so,  unless  his  friend  Alcibiades  finds  him  waiting,  like  a  sec- 
ond Ulysses,  on  the  beach,  I  hardly  see  how  he  can  take 
French  leave." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  him,  Justinian  ?  "  asked 
Maurice  curiously. 

''  I  am  waiting  until  you  and  Helena  come  to  an  under- 
standing, and  then  I  will  tell  Caliphronas  that  he  has  been 
beaten  with  his  own  weapons  of  treachery." 

''  Helena  has  gone  up  the  mountain.  Will  I  await  her  re- 
turn ?  " 

"  By  no  means.  Follow  her  at  once  to  her  favorite  haunt- 
There  is  a  narrow  path  leading  to  it  —  a  glade  near  the  west- 
ern pass,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  an  altar  inscribed  BtdvP 

"  Oh,  I  know  it !  Helena  showed  it  to  me  some  time  ago. 
Crispin,  I  am  going  a-wooing  ! " 

"I  wish  you  every  success." 

"  Do  you  think  my  fortunate  star  is  in  the  ascendant  ?  " 

"You  are  as  faint-hearted  as  you  were  last  night,"  said 
the  Demarch,  laughing.  "  Do  you  think,  if  I  were  not  sure 
of  Helena's  answer,  I  would  send  you  on  a  fruitless  errand  ? 
Go,  my  son;  and  when  you  and  Helena  come  to  ask  my 
blessing,  I  will  deal  with  Andros." 

"  Punic  faith  !  "  remarked  Crispin  a  trifle  sadly. 

"  Well !  what  would  you  ?  "  demanded  the  Demarch  with 
energy.  "  Had  I  not  made  use  of  Andros.  he  would  have 
made  use  of  me.  It  is  a  mistake  in  being  too  honest  when 
dealing  with  a  scoundrel.  One  cannot  go  straight  on  a 
crooked  road.  If  I  were  dealing  with  you,  or  with  Maurice, 
I  might  not  stoop  to  diplomatic  lies ;  but  as  to  that  serpent 
of  an  Andros  —  pah!  —  the  end  justifies  the  means." 

"Do  you  think  he  will  come  and  see  you  again  ?" 

"Of  course!  He  will  come  to  demand  the  fulfilment  of 
my  promise,  and  ask  me  to  force  Helena  into  this  distasteful 
marriage.  Then  I  will  reveal  all,  and  drive  him  from  the 
island." 

"  But  is  it  wise  to  let  him  go  free,  seeing  he  is  our  declared 
enemy  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  305 

"What!  you  wish  me  to  keep  him  as  a  hostage?"  said 
Justinian  good-humoredly.  "Notliing  would  be  gained  by 
such  an  act.  Alcibiades  intends  to  attack  the  island,  with 
or  without  Andros ;  and  the  only  thing  this  scamp  can  do  is 
to  urge  his  friend  to  assault  Meliios  at  once.  Everything  is 
ready:  the  men  are  in  splendid  training;  I  have  arms  in 
plenty ;  and  we  are  thirteen  Englishmen,  so  the  sooner  the 
strife  is  decided  the  more  satisfied  I  will  be." 

"Well,  I  will  leave  you  to  talk  over  your  military  schemes 
with  Crispin,"  said  IVIaurice,  as  he  arose  to  go,  "  and  mean- 
while will  go  in  search  of  Helena." 

"  Good  luck  go  with  you ! "  cried  Crispin,  as  he  left  the 
room ;  and  Maurice  heartily  seconded  the  kindly  wish. 

It  was  an  exquisite  morning,  and  the  sun  was  just  below 
the  eastern  peaks  of   the  island;    but   as   Maurice    lightly 
climbed  up  the  slopes  behind  the  Acropolis,  the  lummary 
came  into  view,  and  flooded  the  high  elevation  of  snowy  pine 
forest,  and  olive  trees,  with  yellow  radiance.     The  cup  of  the 
valley  lay  in  shadow ;  but  amid  these  lofty  solitudes  all  was 
luminous  light  and  brilliant  sunshine.     The  little  path  which 
led  to  the  glade  had  been  worn  into  a  narrow  earthen  track 
by  the  light  feet  of  Helena;  but  on  either  side  grew  the  loner 
lush  grass,  starred  with  primrose,  violet,  anemone,  and  cycla'- 
men  — all    delicately   blooming    in   the   warm    atmosphere. 
From  this  floral  carpet  arose  stately  plane-trees,  arbutus,  and 
here  and  there  lance-shaped  cypresses;  while,  between  the 
luxuriant  foliage,  Maurice  could  catch  glimpses  at  intervals 
of  the  terraced  vineyards,  yellowish-green  with  the  autumnal 
tints  of  the  vine-leaves,  and  purple  with  bunches  of  grapes  • 
sometimes   the  white  gleam  of   a  winepress,  from  whence 
arose  the  merry  song  of  peasants  treading  the  ripe  clusters ; 
and  far  overhead,  seen  like  a  vision  through  the  ragged  frame- 
work of  leaves,  the  serrated  peaks  of  milkv  hue  cutting'-  the 
intense  azure  of  the  sky.     All  this  loveliness  was  irradiated 
with  the  strong  sunlight,  and  steeped  in  the  luminositv  of 
the  atmosphere,  so  that  the  variety  of  tints,  the  infinite  deli- 
cacy of  the  colors,  the  almost  imperceptible  blendin^s  of  the 
one  into  the  other,  made  a  picture  enchanting  to  the  most 
careless  observer.      Added  to  this,  the  air,  risinc,-  warm  from 
the  valley  below,  yet  coolly  tempered  by  the  higher  snows, 
produced  an  atmosphere  exhilarating  in  the  extreme ;  and  a 
pleasant  murmur  of  song  of  bird  and  peasant  sounded  on  all 
sides,  blending  with  the  rustle  of  the  boughs,  and  the  gentle 
sigh  of  the  wind  moving  innumerable  leaves  to  airy  whis- 
perings. 


306  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

It  was  truly  wonderful  how  rapidly  Maurice  had  adapted 
himself  to  the  mountaineering  life  of  Melnos  ;  and  he  breasted 
the  steep  path  with  a  vigor  which  had  been  quite  foreign  to 
him,  when  listless,  enervated,  and  melancholic,  in  England. 
The  artificial  life  of  six  years  in  London,  amid  a  deleterious 
atmosphere,  surrounded  by  ugly  houses  and  stony  streets, 
had  saddened  and  depressed  his  spirits ;  but  now  that  he  had 
returned  to  Nature  for  cure,  her  calm  and  soothing  medicines 
had  stilled  his  fretful  spirit,  had  smoothed  the  wrinkles  from 
his  brow,  removed  the  haggard  anguish  of  his  heart;  and 
now,  reinvigorated  and  vitalized,  he  felt  that  it  was  good  to 
live.  Doctors  can  do  much,  but  Nature  can  do  more ;  for, 
while  physical  ills  are  to  a  certain  extent  under  the  control 
of  the  former,  only  the  latter  can  minister  to  the  mind ;  and 
the  intangible  influence  of  landscape,  mountain  air,  rustic 
quiet,  and  woodland  music,  on  the  diseased  mental  faculties, 
cannot  be  over-estimated  in  their  curative  powers.  Wise, 
indeed,  were  the  Greeks  to  fable  how  the  giant  Antaeus  drew 
fresh  vigor  for  his  frame  from  his  mother  Tellus ;  and  if  we 
in  modern  days  did  but  apply  this  parable  of  nature-cure  to 
our  crowded  city  populations,  how  infinitely  less  would  be 
the  physical  and  mental  ills  to  be  endured  by  our  worn-out, 
exhausted  toilers  of  this  over-anxious  age  ! 

What  wonder  if  the  Hellenes  were  a  joyous  race,  dwelling 
as  they  did  in  a  radiant  climate,  amid  scenes  of  undying 
beauty,  in  healthful  communion  with  the  Earth-spirit !  They 
exercised  the  body  in  the  palaestra,  the  mind  in  the  portico, 
and,  ever  drinking  in  health,  beauty,  and  the  music  of  leaves, 
winds,  and  waves,  were  therefore  easily  able  to  attain  and 
preserve  that  serene  calm  of  existence,  which  we  see  stamped 
in  vivid  beauty  on  the  faces  of  their  marble  masterpieces. 
The  countenances  of  Egyptian  sphinx  and  granite  king  ex- 
press the  awful  solemnity  of  communion  with  the  unseen ; 
the  rapt  faces  of  mediaeval  saints  a  spiritual  unrest  to  escape 
from  the  world  they  despised ;  but  in  the  frieze  of  the  Par- 
thenon, in  the  statues  of  god,  goddess,  hero,  and  nymph,  we 
but  see  the  calm  of  contentment,  of  serene  satisfaction, 
arising  from  the  healthful  minds  and  bodies  of  the  race, 
whose  joyous  tranquillity  was  the  gift  of  Nature  to  her 
believing  children.  Yet  we,  while  envying  their  beatitude, 
and  desirous  of  emulating  their  intense  calm,  make  no  effort 
to  do  so ;  for  we  leave  the  country,  and  rush  to  the  already 
overcrowded  cities,  wrangling,  toiling,  worrying,  striving  to 
attain  an  unsatisfying  end.     Wiseacres  talk  of  the  complex- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  307 

ity  of  modern  civilization,  of  the  over-population  of  the 
world,  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest ;  but  this  is,  so  to  speak, 
merely  laying  the  blame  of  our  own  mistakes  on  the  stars, 
for  we  ourselves  have  produced  this  age  of  unrest,  which  we 
profess  to  loathe.  When  the  humors  of  the  body  run  to  one 
spot,  a  tumor  ensues,  which  tlirows  the  whole  system  out  of 
order;  and  it  is  the  same  with  the  misdirected  way  in  which 
we  govern  our  modern  nations.  If,  instead  of  rushing  to 
cities,  and  thus  begetting  what  may  be  called  geographical 
tumors,  our  rustics  and  wearied  toilers  stayed  in  the  open 
country,  then  would  our  civilization  become  less  restless, 
and  more  akin  to  the  envied  calm  of  Hellenic  life.  Food 
would  be  more  plentiful,  minds  would  be  more  at  peace, 
bodies  would  be  more  healthy,  and  the  world  happier.  But 
we  will  not  do  this  ;  —  fired  by  ambition,  by  desire  for  gold, 
by  longings  for  luxury,  we  crowd  together  in  noisy  multi- 
tudes, and  turn  away  from  the  calm  serenity  of  Nature,  who 
would  take  us  to  her  breast  and  make  us  happy,  even  as  she 
did  those  wiser  children  of  old.  Nature  sent  her  herald, 
Wordsworth,  to  proclaim  this  truth,  but  alas  !  he  piped  in 
vain ;  and  his  songs  of  purity  were  drowned  in  the  jingle  of 
gold  and  the  shouts  of  ambition. 

These  were  Maurice's  thoughts  as  he  clambered  up  the 
mountain-path;  and  so  rapt  was  he  in  his  dreamings  of 
Nature-worship,  that,  all  unconsciously,  he  emerged  into  the 
glade  near  the  western  pass. 

It  was  encircled  by  ilex,  tamarisk,  beech,  and  elm,  woven 
together  as  in  brotherhood  by  straggling  creepers,  festooned 
gracefully  from  bough  to  bough,  from  branch  to  branch  ;  and  in 
the  centre,  amid  the  flowing  grass,  was  placed  a  small  marble 
altar,  on  a  low  flight  of  steps.  In  front  the  trees  had  been 
cut  down,  and  there  was  a  glimpse  of  the  white  houses  in 
the  valley,  the  waving  red  line  of  the  grand  staircase ;  and, 
high  above,  the  bizzarre  colors  of  the  volcanic  rocks,  fringed 
by  a  dark  green  belt  of  forest,  from  which  luxuriance  the 
arid  peaks  shot  up  into  the  blue  sky  like  white  marble 
cones.  But  not  at  valley,  nor  forest,  nor  aerial  peaks  looked 
Maurice,  for  his  eyes  were  fixed  on  Helena,  who,  robed  in 
her  favorite  white,  crowned  with  a  wreath  of  roses,  stood  by 
the  altar  with  a  mass  of  brilliant  flowers  thereon,  looking 
like  the  nymph  of  the  place. 

She  flushed  red  with  delight  as  Maurice  drew  near,  and 
paused  in  her  dainty  task  of  arranging  the  blossoms  with 
the  air  of  some  startled  shy  thing  of  the  woodlands.     Like 


308  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

stars  her  eyes,  like  sunshine  her  glinting  hair,  and  as  for  her 
face,  the  roses  in  her  wreath  were  scarce  so  delicate  in  hue. 
The  lovely  glade,  the  solemn,  flower-piled  altar,  the  beauti- 
ful priestess  —  it  was  not  Melnos.  it  was  not  the  nineteenth 
century,  for  this  was  Arcadia;  and  in  this  bird-haunted  dell 
was  Flora  discovered,  weaving  flowers  for  future  summer's 
adornment. 

"  Are  you  Nymph,  Dryad,  or  Oread  ?  "  he  asked,  pausing 
with  one  foot  on  the  lowest  step. 

"  No  ;  I  am  Chloris,  the  goddess  of  flowers,"  she  answered, 
entering  into  the  spirit  of  his  jesting  speech. 

"  Give  me,  then,  0  goddess,  of  your  treasures  !  " 

"  Violet,  rose,  and  cyclamen  !  take  them  all,"  she  cried 
merrily,  and  threw  a  rain  of  many-colored  flowers  on  the 
laughing,  upturned  face  of  the  young  man.  Then,  while  he 
bent  to  pick  up  one  crimson  bud  which  had  fallen  at  his  feet, 
she  burst  out  into  one  of  those  old  English  songs  her  father 
had  taught  her :  — 

"  Rose  and  myrtle  all  are  twining, 
In  their  beauty  thus  combining, 
To  become  a  chaplet  fair 
For  my  shepherd's  golden  hair. 
Fa  la!  la!  la! 
My  Colin  dear." 

"  Clearly,"  quoth  Maurice,  with  a  smile,  "  this  wreath  is 
meant  for  me,  for  I  have  golden  hair." 

Helena  smiled,  and  continued  both  her  garland-weaving 
and  her  song. 

"  If  you  ask  who  is  my  dearest, 
It  is  he  who  loiters  nearest; 
And  for  him  this  chaplet  fair 
Do  I  weave  with  flowerets  rare. 
Fa  la!  la!  la! 
My  Colin  dear." 

"  Better  and  better ! "  said  the  lover,  mounting  the  steps. 
"  I  am  nearest !  I  have  yellow  locks,  so  I  decidedly  am  Colin 
dear ! " 

They  were  now  standing  on  either  side  of  the  altar,  with 
the  rainbow  heap  of  flowers  between  them ;  and,  despite 
Maurice's  boldness  in  thus  coming  so  close  to  his  goddess, 
he  was  now  seized  with  a  fit  of  shyness,  which  communi- 
cated itself  to  the  sympathetic  Helena,  so  they  gazed  with 
embarrassment  at  one  another,  tongue-tied,  with  burning 
cheeks. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  309 

"Where  is  Zoe  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  breaking  the  awkward 
silence. 

"Zoe,"  replied  Helena  demurely,  "is  assisting  Dick  to 
find  more  flowers." 

"  And,  pray,  what  is  Dick  doing  here  ?  " 

"  Aha  !  you  must  ask  Zoe." 

"'  I  would  rather  ask  you." 

Helena  glanced  at  him  with  a  laugh,  then  suddenly  flushed 
crimson,  and  sat  down  on  the  steps,  with  the  white  lap  of 
her  gown  full  of  flowers. 

"I  am  no  oracle  to  give  answers,"  she  replied,  carefully 
selecting  some  buds. 

"That  means  you  are  no  goddess,"  said  Maurice,  sitting 
down  a  step  lower,  and  looking  up  into  her  charming  face. 
"Well,  I  prefer  you  as  a  mortal  maiden.  But  what  about 
Colin's  wreath  ?  " 

"  I  am  weaving  it  now." 

"Roses  for  love,  myrtle  for  joy,  violets  for  modesty. 
What  a  charming  wreath  ! " 

"  Ah,  you  know  the  language  of  flowers  !  " 

"I  know  what  this  wreath  means  —  'Modest  love  is  a 
joy.'     Am  I  right  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  no  —  yes  —  that  is  —  Oh  dear  me  !  Is  it  not  a 
lovely  day  ?  " 

"  Is  it  not  a  lovely  face  ?     Very  lovely." 

"  I  speak  of  the  day." 

"And  I  of  you." 

Decidedly  Maurice  was  getting  on  capitally  in  the  art  of 
saying  nothings  which  mean  somethings,  and  Helena  was 
woman  enough  to  know  what  he  was  hinting  at,  yet  also 
woman  enough  to  indulge  in  a  little  coquetry.  She  had 
burnt  her  fingers  with  Caliphronas;  yet,  quite  forgetful  of 
the  warning,  began  to  tease  Maurice  with  charming  persist- 
ence. 

"  Am  I  very  lovely  ?  " 

"  You  are  as  beautiful  as  Helen,"  replied  Maurice,  rather 
taken  aback  at  the  directness  of  this  question. 

"  I  am  as  beautiful  as  Helen  !  Well,  I  am  Helen  ;  so  you 
mean  I  am  as  beautiful  as  myself.  That  is  not  a  compli- 
ment." 

"  What  a  vain  child  you  are  !  I  am  speaking  of  the  Tro- 
jan Helen." 

"  I  am  not  a  child.  I  am  nineteen  years  of  age  —  and  a 
woman." 


310  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"I  believe  that,  for  you  possess  all  the  art  of  a  woman  iu 
tormenting  a  man.     Where  did  you  learn  it  ?  " 

"  Learn  what  ?  " 

"  The  art  of  being  cruel,  kind,  merry,  sad,  delightful,  yet 
tormenting." 

'•Do  you  mean  to  say  I  possess  all  these  contradictory 
qualities  at  one  and  the  same  time  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  are  capricious  at  times." 

"  Oh,  indeed  ! "  said  Helena  pettishly,  resuming  her  task. 
"  Then  I  must  be  full  of  faults." 

"They  are  very  charming  faults,  at  all  events." 

"  I  am  not  listening,  Maurice.  I  am  too  busy  with  this 
wreath." 

"  My  wreath." 

"■'  I  did  not  say  it  was  yours." 

"  Not  in  words,  perhaps ;  but  then,  you  see,  I  can  read  the 
language  of  the  eyes." 

Helena  blushed  at  this,  but,  purposely  misunderstanding 
the  hint,  made  demure  reply. 

''  Ah,  you  see  my  education  has  been  neglected  in  that  par- 
ticular branch." 

"  Shall  I  teach  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  find  me  a  bad  pupil." 

"  I  don't  mind  taking  that  risk,  Helena." 

He  laid  his  hand  on  one  of  hers  with  a  caressing  gesture, 
upon  which  she  le*  it  remain,  but  snatched  up  a  cornflower 
with  the  other. 

"  Look  what  a  beautiful  blossom  !  " 

"  It  is  the  color  of  your  eyes." 

"No,  no  ;  I  mean  this  red  rose." 

"  The  tint  of  your  cheeks." 

"  I  hate  compliments,"  said  Helena  in  a  dignified  way,  try- 
ing to  release  her  hand  from  his  warm  grasp. 

"  Always  ?  " 

"  Yes,  always ;  unless  I  like  the  person  who  pays  them." 

"  And  in  this  case  ?  " 

"I  — I  — don't  know." 

"  Let  me  read  the  truth  in  your  eyes." 

She  looked  up  with  a  pretty  gesture  of  mock  despair,  but, 
meeting  the  tenderness  of  his  look,  dropped  her  eyes  in  con- 
fusion, while  Maurice,  shifting  his  seat,  slipped  his  left  arm 
round  her  slender  waist,  still  holding  her  hand  gently. 

"  Helena ! " 

No  answer. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  311 

"  Helena,  do  you  know  what  your  eyes  tell  me  ?  " 

No  answer. 

"  They  say  that  you  will  not  be  cruel  enough  to  refuse  me 
your  love." 

''  JVIy  love  ! "  she  murmured  confusedly. 

"  Yes,"  he  whispered  passionately.  "  I  said  you  were 
capricious.  You  are  not  capricious,  but  true,  loving,  and 
charming  beyond  expression  —  a  very  woman,  whom  1  love, 
and  who  loves  me  in  return.     Helena  ! " 

All  the  virginal  passion  of  this  island  maiden  burned  like 
red  roses  in  her  cheeks,  as  Maurice  drew  her  slender  form 
closer  to  his  breast,  and  murmured  broken  sentences  of  love 
in  her  ear. 

"I  love,  you  !  I  love  you,  Helena  !  I  saw  your  face  in  a 
picture,  and  I  loved  the  face  ;  now  I  see  the  woman,  and  I 
love  the  woman.  My  dearest !  my  darling  !  say  you  love 
me  just  a  little  !  " 

"  I  cannot  say  that,"  she  whispered,  hiding  her  face  on 
his  shoulder. 

"  Oh,  Helena  ! " 

"  Because  I  love  you  a  great  deal." 

"  My  darling  !  " 

She  lay  in  his  strong  arms,  with  her  head  on  his  shoulder, 
blushing  with  maidenly  fear  at  the  ardor  of  his  passion; 
then  Maurice,  bending  down  his  comely  head,  pressed  a  kiss 
on  her  lips. 

"  My  dearest !  my  own  !  "  he  murmured  rapturously  ;  "  how 
I  love  you  !  love  you  !  love  jow  !  " 

Lost  in  the  overwhelming  deeps  of  each  other's  affection, 
they  remained  silent,  filled  with  feelings  too  deep  for  words, 
too  inexplicable  to  be  translated  otherwise  than  by  sighs  and 
glances.  The  delicate  voices  of  the  woodlands  sounded  in 
their  ears,  the  brilliant  colors  blazed  in  the  luminous  light, 
the  sun  shone,  the  birds  sang,  but  they  heard  nothing,  saw 
nothing  ;  for,  with  their  hearts  beating,  their  souls  blending, 
their  lips  meeting,  they  were  far  away  from  this  earth  in  the 
heaven  of  love. 

There  was  something  sacred  about  this  outburst  of  pas- 
sion, which  sent  a  thrill  of  fear  through  their  breasts  ;  for 
this  was  no  vulgar  affection,  no  sensual  desire,  no  mere 
adoration  of  outward  beauty,  but  a  chaste  union  of  two 
souls,  in  which  the  woman's  melted  into  the  man's  as  a 
dream  into  a  dream.  The  virginal  purity  of  the  young  girl 
experienced  no  repulsion  in  this  case,  as  it  had  felt  when 


312  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY, 

near  to  the  frank  animal  passion  of  the  handsome  Greek ; 
and  Helena,  exquisite  blossom  of  maidenhood,  lay  in  her 
lover's  arms  without  shame  or  dread,  for  she  knew  that  this 
clinging  clasp,  these  broken  sighs,  this  vivid  ardor,  were  the 
outcome  of  a  love  as  pure  and  chaste  as  was  her  own  ;  so 
there  she  lay,  cradled  on  his  beating  heart,  and  the  birds 
around  sang  their  betrothal  song,  as  doubtless  they  carolled 
to  our  first  parents  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  Time  was  not, 
earth  had  vanished,  humanity  was  but  an  empty  name,  for, 
clinging  together  with  passionate  ardor,  they  were  all  in  all 
to  one  another,  and  the  divinity  which  clothed  them  with 
his  splendors  was  no  rosy,  mischievous  urchin,  with  his 
bundle  of  arrows,  but  a  terrible,  unseen,  unknown,  unfelt 
deity,  who  now,  for  the  first  time,  had  permitted  them  to 
enter  into  his  Holy  of  holies,  and  touched  with  their  lips 
the  burning  coals  of  his  sacred  altar. 

Alas  !  mighty  as  are  the  pinions  of  Love,  they  weary  in 
that  divine  atmosphere  of  transcendentalism ;  so,  folding  his 
wings,  he  ceased  his  song  of  bliss,  and  dropped  like  a  tired 
lark  to  the  earth.  The  lovers  awoke  from  their  mystic 
trance,  and  looked  at  one  another  with  wide-eyed  rapture ; 
then  Helena,  with  a  happy  sigh,  once  more  laid  her  head  on 
her  lover's  shoulder,  and  began  to  talk  of  earthly  matters. 

"  My  father  !  " 

"  Your  father  will  be  delighted,  my  dearest.  He  told  me 
that  this  was  the  dearest  wish  of  his  heart." 

'•  Ah  !  is  he  so  anxious,  then,  to  lose  me  ?  " 

"  No,  he  will  not  lose  you,  my  sweet  queen.  For  when  we 
are  married  we  will  still  dwell  in  Melnos,  and  reign  over  it 
through  years  of  happiness." 

"  My  father  wants  you  to  be  his  successor  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  to  marry  you.  So  if  you  fulfil  the  first,  I  will 
accept  the  second." 

"I  will  marry  you  whenever  you  like,"  said  beautiful 
Helena,  smiling  through  her  tears.  "But  will  you  not  weary 
of  staying  here  ?  " 

"  With  you  ?  never  !  " 

"  Ah,  it  is  I  who  am  the  attraction  —  not  Melnos  ! " 

"  It  is  both ;  but  in  my  eyes  you  are  before  everything 
else  in  the  world." 

"  And  if  you  grow  tired  of  me  ?  " 

"  I  will  never  grow  tired  of  you  !  " 

Helena  picked  up  a  rose  from  her  lap  and  held  it  up  to 
him. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  813 

"  This  rose  is  very  beautiful,  but  it  fades.  Is  your  love 
like  the  rose  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  uot  because  the  rose  fades.  My  love  is  like 
the  rose-plant  itself,  which  renews  itself  afresh  with  every 
coming  of  summer.  In  this  island  it  blooms  all  the  year 
round ;  and  my  love  will  be  the  same." 

"  Will  you  not  regret  your  home,  your  money,  your 
position  ?  " 

"My  dearest,  none  of  those  "things  brought  me  happiness. 
I  was  a  weary,  mournful  man,  tired  of  life,  tired  of  myself, 
tired  of  all  around  me ;  then  by  chance  I  saw  your  face,  and 
it  was  as  a  star  in  the  darkness  of  my  night.  I  followed 
that  star,  and  it  led  me  to  happiness,  and  to  you  !  '^ 

"  So  we  will  live  here  ?  " 

"  Till  our  days  be  ended.  You  will  be  queen,  and  I  your 
very  humble  slave  and  lover.  No  ;  I  do  not  desire  to  return 
to  the  world,  with  all  its  tumult,  ambitions,  and  fret.  I  am 
weary  of  the  crowded  cities,  the  haggard  faces,  the  gray 
skies  of  England.  I  only  care  to  live  in  this  lotus-land  with 
you,  my  angel,  to  wander  with  you  amid  the  fair  flowers, 
yourself  the  fairest  of  all ;  to  sleep  at  dusk  with  your  loving 
arms  around  me,  to  awake  at  dawn  under  your  caress  ;  and 
thus  to  live  in  paradise  until  we  meet  in  a  still  brighter 
paradise  beyond  the  grave." 

"  Will  we  meet  beyond  the  grave  ?  " 

"Helena!" 

"I  know  nothing  of  religion,  my  dearest.  Indeed,  it  is 
not  my  fault,  for  my  father  has  always  refused  to  answer 
my  questions.  He  would  not  allow  old  Athanasius  to  speak 
to  me  of  sacred  things,  and  I  know  nothing,  save  that  there 
is  an  Almighty  Being  called  God." 

"  And  your  father  ?  " 

"  Believes  the  same.     Look !  " 

She  pointed  to  the  majestic  block  of  white  marble  behind 
her,  and  there  was  deeply  sculptured  the  one  word  "  066^.'^ 

"  So  of  old  the  Athenians  erected  an  altar  to  ngdg  Toy 
ciyvaaiov  Geov,''  said  Maurice  sadly,  rather  puzzled  to  know 
what  to  do.  "  My  dearest,  I  am  no  saint,  to  be  able  to  instruct 
you  in  such  things  ;  and  I  am  afraid  my  views  are  not  what  the 
Church  would  approve  of.  However,  my  dear  old  friend  and 
tutor,  Mr.  Carriston,  is,  I  trust,  coming  out  here  to  see  me  ; 
and  he  will  marry  us,  and  tell  you  all  you  wish  to  know  of 
sacred  things." 

They  had  risen  to  their  feet,  and  were  standing  looking  at 


314  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

that  solemn  altar,  so  noble  in  its  hugeness  amid  the  encir- 
cling green.  No  relic  of  paganism  sculptured  with  nude 
figures,  with  wreathes  and  nymphs  and  long-drawn  pomp  of 
Panhellenic  festival,  but  a  severely  plain  mass  of  stainless 
stone,  with  no  other  indication  of  its  meaning  than  the 
mystic  word  "  Qeov  "  cut  thereon.  After  looking  at  it  in 
silence  for  a  few  minutes,  Helena  gathered  up  her  flowers  in 
order  to  return  home,  for  the  sun  was  now  at  his  zenith,  and 
the  heat  intolerable. 

"  Oh,  not  yet ! "  entreated  Maurice,  anxious  to  prolong  the 
sweet  communion  ;  "  you  must  make  me  my  wreath." 

"Are  you  Colin  ?" 

"  I  think  so,"  he  said,  kissing  her  fondly. 

"So  do  I,"  she  replied  demurely;  "therefore,  Colin,  I  will 
finish  your  garland." 

Once  more  she  sat  down  on  the  steps  and  began  busily 
wreathing  the  flowers  together  in  long  fragrant  strings, 
while  Maurice,  lying  lover-like  at  her  feet  on  the  flowery 
turf,  looked  ever  up  into  the  delicate  beauty  of  her  face, 
and  wondered  at  his  good  fortune  in  being  loved  by  such  an 
enchanting  divinity. 

Zoe  and  Dick  came  back  armed  with  flowers,  and  Dick 
grinned  somewhat  sheepishly  as  he  saw  Maurice  smile.  A 
fellow-feeling,  however,  makes  us  wondrous  kind,  so  Maurice 
made  no  remark,  but  sent  Zoe  and  her  swain  with  their 
newly  gathered  flowers  down  to  the  Acropolis. 

"  Do  you  think  Dick  is  in  love  with  Zoe  ?  "  asked  Helena, 
when  the  laughter  of  the  sailor  and  his  companion  had  died 
away. 

"  Do  I  think  you  are  in  love  with  me  ?  "  retorted  Maurice 
lazily.  "My  dearest,  Dick  is  as  much  in  love  with  that 
wicked  little  brunette,  as  I  am  with  a  certain  charming 
blonde." 

"  I'm  glad  of  that,"  said  Helena  complacently.  "  I  do  not 
wish  to  lose  Zoe." 

"  You  must  when  she  marries." 

"  Oh  no  !  If  Dick  becomes  her  husband,  he  will  stay  here. 
I'm  sure  he  would  not  mind,  as  he  is  very  fond  of  you." 

"That's  very  kind  of  him,  considering  the  battering  I 
gave  him  yesterday." 

"  Oh,  Maurice,  it  was  terrible  ! " 

"  For  Dick  ?  " 

"  Ko  ;  for  you." 

"  Poor  Dick  !  he  got  the  worst  of  it,  yet  you  pity  me." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  315 

"  Ah,  but  you  see  I'm  not  engaged  to  Dick,"  said  Helena 
gravely,  holding  out  a  wreath  to  him. 

"No;  but  Zoe  is.  At  least,  if  she  is  not  now,  she  soon 
will  be.  But  come,  Helena,  fasten  this  wreath  round  my 
hat." 

Helena  obediently  did  so,  and  then  placed  it  on  her  lover's 
head,  upon  which  he  gave  her  a  kiss,  and  insisted  that  she 
should  deck  herself  with  the  remaining  flowers.  Nothing 
loath,  Helena  did  so,  and  was  shortly  one  mass  of  delicious 
bloom,  from  which  her  face  peered  out  like  some  laughing 
Dryad.  Rose-wreath  on  her  golden  head,  green  myrtle  gird- 
ing her  slender  waist,  and  flowers  of  m3'riad  hues  bedecking 
her  dress,  she  looked  indeed  like  Chloris,  the  goddess  of 
flowers,  to  whom  Maurice  had  so  often  compared  her. 

"  Come,  my  dearest,"  he  said,  taking  her  hand,  "  and  I 
will  lead  the  Spring  down  to  the  valley.  We  are  not 
Maurice  and  Helena,  but  Florizel  and  Perdita,  shepherd  and 
shepherdess ;  so  come,  my  dearest,  adown  the  mountain." 

They  walked  slowly  along,  talking  all  kinds  of  charming 
nonsense,  and  laughing  merrily,  he  rose-wreathed  like  an 
ancient  Hellene,  she  decked,  like  a  goddess  of  the  spring, 
with  delicate  blossoms,  and  both  full  of  mirth  and  joy  and 
happiness,  which  bubbled  from  their  lips  in  gushes  of  liquid 
song. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


PUNIC    FAITH. 

'Tis  difficult,  when  dealing  with  a  knave, 
To  know  what  course  of  conduct  to  pursue, 

Yet  if  to  win  the  victory  you  crave, 

Strict  honesty  you  must  perforce  eschew; 

Like  him,  all  craftily  you  must  behave. 
Or  else  he  certainly  will  conquer  you. 

This  golden  rule  remember  when  you  meet  him, 

A  scoundrel's  weapons  must  be  used  to  beat  him. 

It  took  Caliphronas  some  considerable  time  to  recover  his 
usual  serenity  of  temper,  as  never  during  his  whole  life  had 
his  vanity  received  such  a  blow  as  this  refusal  of  Helena's  to 
marry  him.  Hitherto  the  Greek  had  been  so  much  petted 
by  all  on  account  of  his  beauty,  especially  by  women,  that 
he  had  become  quite  a  spoiled  child,  and  looked  upon  it  as 


31 G  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

his  right  that  every  whim  he  took  into  his  handsome  head 
should  be  gratified.  To  express  a  wish,  and  have  it  at  once 
fulfilled,  appeared  to  him  to  be  the  proper  mode  of  behaving 
towards  him,  and  it  was  a  severe  wound  to  his  arrogant  self- 
complacency  to  find  that  the  only  woman  he  cared  about 
should  refuse  to  yield  to  the  dearest  wish  of  his  heart. 

His  love  for  Helena  was  purely  a  sensual  feeling,  based  on 
the  feminine  beauty  of  the  girl,  so,  when  he  found  himself 
scorned  in  such  a  way,  this  animal  affection  speedily  merged 
in  the  stronger  feeling  of  intense  hatred.  Formerly  he  had 
regarded  Helena  as  a  charming  toy,  who  would  do  him 
credit  as  his  wife,  and  satisfy  his  artistic  requirements  by 
her  womanly  grace ;  but  now  he  regarded  her  in  the  light 
of  a  bitter  enemy,  one  who  deserved  to  be  punished  for  the 
infamous  way  in  which  she  had  slighted  his  addresses. 
Nothing  would  have  given  Galiphronas  greater  gratification 
than  to  mar  that  lovely  face  he  had  so  much  admired,  and 
he  would  have  liked  to  drag  Helena  through  the  gutter,  and 
render  her  an  object  of  pity  and  derision  to  all  the  world, 
in  order  to  satiate  his  vengeance  against  her. 

Had  he  been  a  Turkish  Bashaw,  he  would  doubtless  have 
tied  the  offending  beauty  up  in  a  sack  and  dropped  her  into 
the  Bosphorus;  had  he  been  a  Russian  boyar,  he  would 
have  done  his  best  to  get  her  exiled  to  Siberia;  but,  as  he 
was  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  and  was  in  his  present 
position  quite  unable  to  treat  her  as  cruelly  as  he  wished, 
with  devilish  ingenuity  he  hit  upon  the  only  mode  in  which 
he  could  hope  to  gratify  his  petty  spite  against  a  woman, 
whose  only  crime  was  that  she  did  not  admire  him  as  much 
as  he  admired  himself. 

The  Count's  little  scheme  of  revenge  was  not  complex,  as 
he  merely  intended  to  call  upon  Justinian  to  keep  his  word, 
and  force  his  daughter  into  the  marriage,  and,  once  she  was 
his  wife,  punish  her  in  a  way  of  which  he  felt  himself  thor- 
oughly capable,  that  is,  by  worrying  her  to  death.  A  petty, 
spiteful,  narrow-minded  man  like  the  Greek  had  quite  a  gift  in 
annoying  those  people  whom  he  disliked,  and  by  assiduously 
exercising  this  ignoble  talent,  could  hope  to  render  unbearable 
the  life  of  even  the  happiest  and  most  long-suffering  person. 
Besides,  if  he  grew  tired  of  Helena,  he  could  easily  force  her 
to  leave  Melnos,  for  her  father  was  so  old  that  he  would  soon 
be  in  his  dotage,  and  thus  could  not  protect  the  girl,  in  which 
case  Galiphronas  would  be  free  to  act  as  his  spiteful  nature 
dictated. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  817 

"As  to  Justinian's  breaking  faith  with  him,  such  a  thing 
never  entered  into  the  Count's  mind  for  a  moment,  and, 
scoundrel  as  he  was  himself,  he  hardly  dreamed  that  any  one 
would  be  astute  enough  to  beat  him  with  his  own  weapons, 
least  of  all  the  Demarch,  who  had  hitherto  acted  towards  him 
in  a  strictly  honorable  way.  Strong  diseases,  however,  re- 
quire strong  remedies,  and,  had  the  deceiving  of  Caliphronas 
not  been  imperative  for  the  salvation  of  the  island,  Jus- 
tinian would  certainly  not  have  stooped  to  such  duplicity. 
Caliphronas,  therefore,  ready  to  betray  the  Demarch  if  the 
fancy  took  him,  never  thought  the  Demarch  would  betray 
him,  and  thus  relied  blindly  on  the  promise  of  the  forced 
marriage  being  fulfilled,  in  which  case  this  consummate 
scamp  decided  to  sacrifice  Helena  in  the  most  painful  man- 
ner which  he  could  devise,  for  the  gratification  of  his 
wounded  pride. 

That  Maurice  loved  Helena  he  knew  well  enough,  for  had 
not  the  mere  sight  of  that  lovely  face  brought  the  young  man 
from  England  to  this  semi-civilized  island  of  the  ^Egean ; 
but  as  to  whether  the  passion  was  reciprocal,  Caliphronas 
felt  doubtful,  as  he  had  never  espied  anything  in  the  girl's 
demeanor  towards  his  rival  to  inspire  him  with  such  a  belief. 
But  whether  she  loved  this  young  Englishman  or  not,  the 
Count  was  quite  indifferent,  as  he  had  Justinian's  promise 
that,  with  her  consent  or  without  it,  Helena  should  be  his. 
As  it  turned  out,  the  marriage,  if  it  took  place,  would  be 
without  her  consent,  but  this  the  Greek  deemed  a  small  mat- 
ter, and  therefore  repaired  to  the  Acropolis  with  the  full  de- 
termination to  force  the  Demarch  to  keep  his  word.  It  was 
in  this  rosy  light  that  Caliphronas  looked  at  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  and  he  never  thought  of  what  he  should 
do  in  the  event  of  things  turning  out  otherwise,  for  the 
simple  reason  that,  in  his  blind  arrogance,  he  deemed  himself 
too  powerful  to  be  thwarted  in  any  way;  so,  disguising  his 
chagrin  under  an  air  of  triumph,  he  went  in  the  u,fternoon  to 
meet  Justinian,  and  his  fate. 

Strolling  along  the  mulberry-tree  avenue,  Caliphronas,  an- 
ticipating quite  a  brilliant  career  of  scoundrelism,  began  to 
build  castles  in  the  air,  which  were  all  inhabited  by  one  per- 
son —  himself.  Justinian  was  old,  and  would  soon  die,  or, 
at  all  events,  putting  his  much-desired  death  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, would  shortly  become  incapable  of  managing  the  affairs 
of  the  island,  therefore  this  goodly  heritage  would  soon  revert 
to  Count  Constantine  Caliphronas,  better  known  as  Andros, 


318  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

the  shepherd  boy.  This  humble  birth,  however,  he  would 
sink  in  oblivion,  and  become  widely  known  as  Prince  Cali- 
phronas,  the  sole  survivor  of  a  famous  Fanariot  family. 
Helena,  of  course,  he  would  marry,  in  order  to  revenge  him- 
self, and  when  he  grew  weary  of  her  beauty  and  his  revenge, 
there  were  plenty  of  ways  of  getting  her  shipped  off  to  Stam- 
boul,  where  she  could  be  finally  disposed  of  in  some  jeal- 
ously guarded  harem.  Then  he  would  be  sole  ruler  of  the 
Isle  of  Melnos,  and  make  it  a  dwelling  after  his  own  heart, 
for,  after  turning  both  Crispin  and  the  Englishman  off  the 
island,  he  would  set  up  a  princely  establishment  in  this 
^gean  paradise. 

What  with  the  exports  of  wines,  silks,  pottery,  olives,  and 
grapes,  he  would  be  able  to  realize  a  magnificent  income, 
which  he  would  apply,  not  to  the  aid  and  assistance  of  the 
Melnosians,  but  to  his  own  enjoyment.  He  would  build  a 
palace,  have  troops  of  servants,  a  pleasure  yacht,  and  could 
also  give  rein  to  his  sensuality  in  the  matter  of  the  most 
beautiful  women.  As  to  carrying  out  Justinian's  foolish 
dream  of  a  new  Hellas,  of  course  that  was  ridiculous,  and  his 
first  act  on  becoming  Demarch  of  Melnos  would  be  to  abolish 
the  three  days'  festival,  so  that  the  Melnosians  could  live  like 
other  insular  Greeks,  on  such  amusements  as  they  could  pro- 
vide for  themselves.  Besides,  the  title  Demarch  only  meant 
Mayor,  and  was  hardly  lordly  enough  for  such  a  magnificent 
person  as  he  intended  to  be.  He  would  call  himself  Prince 
of  Melnos,  and  who  knows  but  w^hat,  with  the  assistance  of 
Alcibiades  and  a  few  other  scoundrels  of  the  same  kidney 
with  whom  he  was  acquainted,  he  would  not  be  able  to  ex- 
tend his  principality  so  as  to  include  all  the  surrounding 
islands.  Then  Crete,  under  Turkish  misrule,  would  be  glad 
to  come  under  his  protection,  and  Rhodes  also  —  in  fact,  a 
few  years  might  see  the  whole  Cyclades  acknowledging  him 
as  their  sovereign.  In  that  case,  he  would  be  powerful 
enough  to  measure  himself  against  the  Greek  Government, 
who,  perhaps,  weary  of  a  foreign  king,  might  be  persuaded  or 
forced  to  drive  away  King  George,  and  place  the  Prince  of 
Melnos  on  the  vacant  throne. 

In  fact,  while  indulging  in  these  Alnaschar-like  visions, 
Caliphronas  was  rapidly  foreseeing  the  conquest  of  Constan- 
tinople, and  himself  seated  on  the  golden  throne  of  the 
Palseologi,  as  Emperor  of  the  East,  when  the  sight  of  the 
Acropolis,  directly  in  front  of  him,  dispelled  these  glowing 
dreamS;  and  he  ascended  the  steps  rather  dolefully,  with  the 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  319 

conviction  that,  as  yet,  all  his  fine  schemes   were  in   the 
clouds. 

Pausing  a  moment  on  the  threshold,  in  order  to  quite  recover 
his  usual  jaunty  manner,  the  future  Emperor,  but  x^resent 
adventurer,  drew  aside  the  curtain  and  entered  the  court,  to 
hud  himself  confronted  by  Justinian,  his  daughter,  and  then- 
two  guests.  The  old  Demarch  reclined  in  a  capacious  chair 
beside  the  fountain,  smoothing  the  golden  hair  of  Helena, 
who  was  seated  at  his  feet.  On  the  back  of  the  chair  leaned 
Maurice,  laughing  at  some  trivial  remark,  and  Crispin,  bal- 
anced perilously  on  the  marble  rim  of  the  pool,  was  irritating 
Argos,  who  strutted  near  with  his  gorgeous  tail  spread  out 
to  fts  fullest  extent.  All  of  them  looked  remarkably  happy, 
especially  Justinian,  whose  stern  face  was  glowing  with 
pleasure,  and  in  Helena's  eyes  shone  the  light  of  undying 
love  as  she  glanced  shyly,  from  time  to  time,  at  her  joyous 
lover,  so  strong,  so  handsome,  and  so  noble. 

When  Caliphronas  appeared  at  the  entrance,  however,  all 
this  merriment  vanished;  for  Helena,  mindful  of  the  pre- 
vious night,  sprang  to  her  feet,  with  an  indignant  look  at  the 
advancing  Greek,  and  the  faces  of  Maurice  and  the  poet 
assumed  a  cold  expression  of  keen  disapproval.  Not  so  Jus- 
tinian, who,  quite  enjoying  the  situation,  received  his  enemy 
with  a  bland  smile,  which,  had  Caliphronas  but  known  it, 
boded  ill  for  the  success  of  his  mission. 

"  Helena,  my  child,"  said  the  Demarch  quietly,  "  will  you 
leave  us  for  a  little  while.  I  have  some  business  with  Count 
Caliphronas." 

Helena  needed  no  second  bidding,  but,  with  an  angry 
glance  at  her  rejected  lover,  walked  quickly  to  the  curtains, 
through  which  she  vanished,  but  not  before  sending  a  sweet 
smile  in  the  direction  of  Maurice.  Caliphronas  saw  that 
smile,  and  felt  uneasy  as  to  the  meaning  of  it,  but  he  became 
still  more  uneasy,  when  the  Demarch,  without  asking  him  to 
be  seated,  addressed  him  formally  as  Count  Caliphronas. 

"Why  do  you  not  call  me  Andros  ? "  asked  the  Greek 
apprehensively. 

"I  understood  you  called  yourself  Count  Caliphronas," 
replied  Justinian  smoothly,  "  and,  naturally,  I  give  you  that 
title.  Of  course,  I  thought  you  were  but  a  shepherd  boy, 
who,  in  default  of  god-parents,  had  to  be  called  by  the  name 
of  your  birthplace.  However,  I  am  wrong,  as  it  seems  you 
are  the  offspring  of  a  noble  family,  and  have  a  title." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean  by  talking  to  me  like  this  !" 


320  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

said  the  Count  in  rather  a  cowed  manner,  feeling  that  the 
speech  of  the  Demarch  was  decidedly  hostile  in  tone.  "  I 
wish  to  speak  to  you  alone." 

"You  can  speak  to  me  in  the  presence  of  these  gentlemen," 
retorted  the  old  man  coolly ;  "  they  know  all  my  secrets." 

"  All  ?  "  said  Caliphronas  in  a  meaning  tone. 

"  As  far  as  you  are  concerned  —  yes  !  " 

"Beware,  Justinian!"  cried  the  Count  in  Greek,  where- 
upon the  Demarch  ruthlessly  interrupted  him. 

"  You  had  better  speak  English.     I  prefer  it." 

This  was  quite  the  dictatorial  Demarch  of  old,  strangely 
unlike  the  yielding  Justinian  of  the  last  few  weeks,  so 
Caliphronas,  feeling  more  and  more  uneasy,  burst  out  into  a 
torrent  of  rapid  English. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  Why  do  you  talk  like  this  ?  Have 
you  forgotten  your  promise  to  me  ?  " 

"  What  promise  ?  " 

"  Your  promise  that  I  should  marry  Helena  !  " 

"  Oh  yes,  yes  !  I  remember  something  about  that.  Well, 
have  you  asked  her  to  marry  you  ?  " 

"  I  have,  and  she  has  refused  me,"  said  Caliphronas  sul- 
lenly. 

"  In  that  case,  I  am  afraid  you  cannot  marry  her." 

"  Cannot  marry  her  !  "  stammered  Caliphronas,  the  rich 
color  of  his  face  fading  to  a  dull  gray ;  "  but  you  promised 
to  make  her  marry  me." 

"  Did  I  ?  then  I  break  that  promise  !  " 

"  You  break  it !  And  what  about  my  succeeding  you  as 
Demarch  of  Melnos." 

"  I  break  that  also  ! " 

Caliphronas,  too  startled  to  speak,  stood  looking  blankly 
at  the  Demarch,  pale  as  the  marble  pillar  against  which  he 
leaned.  Much  as  he  disliked  him,  Maurice  could  not  but 
feel  sorry  for  the  shame  and  agony  felt  by  the  baffled  schemer. 
Twice,  thrice,  he  tried  to  answer  Justinian,  but  the  words 
died  away  feebly  on  his  parched  lips,  while  the  Demarch, 
relentless  in  his  anger,  spoke  cruelly  and  deliberately,  as  if 
to  torture  still  further  the  wretched  man  before  him. 

"  You  are  astonished  at  my  thus  acting  so  dishonorably. 
I  am  astonished  myself,  as  never  before  have  I  broken  a 
promise  once  made,  even  to  the  meanest  person.  However, 
in  this  case,  necessity  demanded  that  I  should  make  use  of 
you  as  a  tool,  in  order  to  gain  my  own  ends,  and  I  have  done 
so,  with  the  fullest    intention  of   defeating   your    schemes. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  321 

Ah  yes,  my  dear  friend,  I  know  perfectly  well  that  you 
would  have  betrayed  me  to  Alcibiades,  had  I  not,  by  a  stroke 
of  "diplomacy,  secured  you  to  my  interests,  by  promising  to 
give  you  my  daughter  and  make  you  my  successor.  Had  I 
not  done  so,  you  would  have  joined  the  ranks  of  my  enemies, 
and  I,  being  ignorant  of  their  schemes,  would  have  been  at  a 
disadvantage  in  defending  my  property.  Therefore,  know- 
ing you  were  ready  to  play  the  traitor,  unless  bribed  to 
remain  true  to  your  benefactor,  you  can  hardly  wonder  that 
I  made  use  of  you,  to  learn  the  plans  of  those  who  were  dan- 
gerous to  me  in  every  way.  A  man  cannot  serve  two  mas- 
ters, and  as  the  question  of  whose  side  you  would  embrace 
was  simply  one  of  bribery,  I  took  advantage  of  your  base- 
ness. I  bribed  you !  I  promised  you  all  you  wished,  with- 
out the  slightest  intention  of  fulfilling  such  promise.  From 
you  I  have  learned  all  I  wish  to  know,  and  am  now  in  a 
position  to  baffle  both  your  ambition  and  that  of  Alcibiades. 
Between  two  stools  you  have  fallen  ignominiously  to  the 
ground ;  and  now,  having  no  further  use  for  you,  traitor  and 
ingrate  as  you  are,  I  command  you  to  leave  my  island  this 
very  day." 

During  this  long  speech  the  Greek  made  neither  sound  nor 
movement,  but,  like  a  beaten  hound,  cowered  before  the  lash 
of  Justinian's  scornful  words.  When  the  Demarch  ended, 
he  raised  his  head  with  a  bitter  smile  on  his  pallid  face,  and 
flung  out  his  hand  threateningly  towards  the  speaker. 

"You  do  well,  Justinian,  to  say  you  are  prepared,"  he  said 
in  a  hoarse  voice ;  '*'  you  do  well  to  be  on  your  guard ;  for  I 
swear  by  the  Panagia  herself  to  ruin  you  and  your  schemes 
before  the  end  of  another  month.  Had  you  been  true  to  me, 
I  would  have  remained  true  to  you ;  but  now  "  — 

"  Most  virtuous  scoundrel !  "  cried  Justinian  scornfully  ; 
"  you  were  anxious  to  guard  what  you  thought  was  already 
your  own,  and  now  make  a  boast  of  doing  that  which  you 
were  bribed  to  do.  As  to  your  threat  to  ruin  me,  go  and  do 
your  worst !  I  defy  both  you  and  your  precious  friend 
Alcibiades ! " 

''  You  have  every  reason  to  be  grateful  to  me.  I  have  told 
you  all  the  schemes  of  your  enennes." 

"  Yes  ;  you  betrayed  them  as  you  would  have  betrayed  me, 
had  their  bribe  been  the  larger.  Gratitude  !  gratitude !  you 
dare  to  speak  of  that  to  me,  to  whom  you  owe  everything  ! 
Who  were  you  ?  Nobody  !  What  were  you  ?  Nothing  !  I 
found  you  a  poor  rustic  in  the  Island  of  Andros,  and  trained 


322  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

you  up  to  be  my  successor  —  which  you  would  have  been, 
had  I  not  discovered  in  time  your  heartless,  fickle,  scoun- 
drelly nature.  Gratitude,  forsooth  !  and  you,  ingrate,  turn- 
ing to  bite  the  hand  that  has  fed  you  all  these  years.  You 
owe  me  everything,  I  owe  you  nothing,  save  the  contempt 
that  an  ungrateful  hound  like  3^ou  deserves  for  such  treachery 
as  you  meditated.  You  would  have  sold  me,  you  Judas  I  yon 
would  have  betrayed  a  man  who  has  been  a  father  to  you  ! 
But  I  have  baffled  you !  I  have  tricked  you  !  and  you  are 
now  reaping  the  reward  of  your  own  vile  actions.  Go  !  quit 
my  sight,  ungrateful  wretch !  lest  I  pass  from  words  to 
actions,  and  spurn  you  from  the  threshold  which  your  very 
presence  pollutes." 

"  I  w411  go,"  cried  the  Greek,  with  venomous  spitefulness ; 
"  but  I  will  return,  with  an  army  at  my  back,  to  ruin  you  and 
yours.  I  will  wreck  your  island,  I  will  make  of  you  a  slave  ; 
and  as  for  your  daughter  "  — 

'•  Not  a  word  about  that  lady,"  said  Maurice  firmly,  step- 
ping forward  and  taking  part  in  the  conversation  for  the  first 
time ;  "  she  is  to  be  my  wife  !  " 

'''  Your  wife  ! "  hissed  the  Greek  furiously.  "  Never  ! 
never  !  I  will  drag  that  fine  piece  of  purity  from  your  arms 
to  the  gutter.     I  will  "  — 

"  You  d — d  reptile  I  "  cried  the  Englishman,  white  with 
passion  ;  '•'  say  another  word,  and  I'll  break  your  neck !  " 

Caliphronas,  having  had  some  experience  of  Royland's 
strength,  judged  it  wise  not  to  say  another  word ;  but,  turn- 
ing on  his  benefactor,  poured  out  the  vials  of  his  wrath  on 
the  old  man's  head. 

"  So  this  is  why  you  brought  him  from  England ! "  he  said 
fiercely  ;  "  to  marry  Helena !  You  promised  that  if  I  ful- 
filled your  desire,  and  lured  him  to  Melnos,  I  w^ould  be  your 
daughter's  husband  "  — 

"  If  she  accepted  you,  yes  —  if  she  refused  you,  no  !" 

"  So  you  say  now.  Oh,  I  have  been  your  tool  and  slave  all 
along  ! " 

''  You  have.  I  have  met  treachery  with  treachery,  and  baf- 
fled you." 

"  I  have  obeyed  your  wishes,"  hissed  the  Greek  venom- 
ously ;  "  I  have  kept  your  secrets,  but  I  will  do  so  no 
longer.  Whom  you  are,  and  what  you  are,  I  will  tell  this 
man." 

"  Be  silent,  wretch  !  " 

"  I  will  not  be  silent ;  I  have  been  silent  too  long.     You 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  323 

have  betrayed  me,  so  now  I  will  betray  you.  Maurice  Koy- 
lands,  look  at  this  so-called  Justinian.  Do  you  know  whom 
he  is?  An  outcast  Englishman,  a  renegade  adventurer  — 
your  uncle  Eudolph  !  " 

"  My  uncle  Rudolph  !  "  replied  Maurice,  aghast. 

"  Yes.  It  was  he  who  sent  me  to  England  for  you  ;  it  is 
he  who  is  heir  to  your  fine  estate  ;  and  you  —  you  are  nothing 
but  a  pauper !  "  ,      -r^  u 

'•  Crispin,  turn  that  man  out ! "  commanded  the  Demarch, 
rising.  '"Go  to  the  western  pass.  Count  Caliphronas,  and 
there  you  will  find  a  boat  in  charge  of  Alexandros.  Leave 
this  island  before  nightfall,  or,  by  heaven,  I  will  have  you 
drowned  like  the  rat  you  are  ! " 

"  I  go,"  retorted  the  Greek  fiercely,  retreating  before  Cris- 
pin, and  clutching  the  curtains.  "  I  go  ;  but  when  I  return, 
I  swear  by  all  the  saints  that  you  shall  suffer  agonies  for 
every  word  you  have  uttered  to-day.  Scoundrel !  wretch  ! 
renegade  !  outcast  !      Vava/^' 

.  And,  uttering  the  bitterest  malediction  he  could  think  of, 
the  beaten  schemer  vanished  from  the  Acropolis,  and  later 
on  from  the  island  itself ;  from  whence  he  doubtless  went  to 
Kamila,  in  search  of  Alcibiades,  to  assist  him  in  his  plans  of 
revenge. 

"  Thank  heaven,  that  is  all  over  ! "  said  Justinian,  when 
they  were  once  more  alone.  "  Now,  at  least,  it  will  be  open 
war,  and  not  hidden  treachery,  Maurice  !  " 

"  And  you  are  really  my  uncle  Eudolph  ?  "  said  Roylands, 
grasping  the  outstretched  hand  of  the  Demarch. 

"  Really  and  truly !  Now  you  know  the  meaning  of  so 
many  things  which  have  so  often  puzzled  you.  Did  you  never 
suspect  the  truth  ?  " 

"  Never  !  "  answered  his  nephew  emphatically  ;  "  but  Cris- 
pin"— 

"  Crispin  knew  it  all  along,"  said  the  poet  quickly  ;  '•  but, 
as  I  had  given  my  sacred  word  to  keep  silence,  of  course  I 
could  say  nothing." 

"  I  am  glad  you  are  my  uncle,  Justinian." 

"  Oh,  I  am  still  Justinian,  then ! "  said  Rudolph,  with  a 
smile,  as  he  shook  liis  nephew  heartily  by  the  hand.  "  Well, 
it  is  better  so ;  I  am  too  old  to  learn  new  tricks,  and,  after 
forty  years  of  Greek  life,  I  cannot  turn  Englishman  in  one 
moment." 

"  Of  course  Roylands  Grange  is  now  yours." 

"Boy,  boy,"  observed  the  old  Demarch,  laying  his  hand  on 


324  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

the  young  man's  shoulder,  '-do  you  think  so  meanly  of  me  as 
that  ?  Were  I  a  pauper,  I  would  not  deprive  you  of  a  single 
acre ;  but,  being  as  I  am,  rich  and  happy,  I  would  indeed  be 
base  to  take  your  estate  when  I  have  all  this." 

"  Still,  you  are  the  head  of  our  house." 

'•A  head  that  will  soon  be  in  the  grave.  No,  no,  my  son, 
the  property  is  yours  ;  and  if  you  have  any  scruples,  why, 
then,  are  you  not  going  to  marry  your  cousin  ?  so  the  Grange 
will  still  belong  to  you,  and  yet  remain  with  the  elder  branch 
of  the  family." 

''  Why,  Helena  is  my  first  cousin  !  " 

"  Of  course  she  is  !  " 

"A  second  Eunice,"  said  Crispin,  smiling,  "only  not  so 
charming." 

"  Crispin  !  Helena  is  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  the 
world." 

"  So  is  Eunice." 

'•'Come,  that's  nonsense,  you  know!"  objected  Maurice 
warmly  ;  "  there  can't  be  two  most  beautiful  women  in  the 
world." 

Justinian  settled  the  matter  by  bursting  out  laughing. 

"Every  one  thinks  his  own  crow  the  whitest,"  he  said 
gayly  ;  "  but  come,  leave  off  arguing  about  the  merits  of  your 
respective  lady-loves.     We  have  other  things  to  think  of." 

"  The  coming  war,  eh  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Andros  will  do  as  he  says,  and  bring  Alcibiades 
here  with  his  band  of  scoundrels.  Well,"  added  the  De- 
march,  with  a  grim  smile,  "they  will  get  a  rather  warm 
reception  when  they  do  come.  The  Roylands  are  a  fighting 
family." 

"  Ah,  now  I  understand  how  you  made  that  allusion  before," 
said  Maurice  quickly ;  "  and  now  I  come  to  think  of  it,  what 
with  the  many  hints  you  dropped,  I  must  have  been  blind  not 
to  guess  the  truth." 

"When  a  man  has  been  numbered  with  the  dead  forty 
years,  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  he  is  alive,"  said  the  Demarch 
philosophically. 

"  You  must  have  had  a  strange  life,  uncle." 

"Very,"  replied  Justinian,  gratified  by  the  title.  "To- 
night, when  Helena  has  retired  to  bed,  I  will  tell  you  all  my 
adventures  since  leaving  the  Grange." 

"  Does  Helena  know  I  am  her  cousin  ?  " 

"  She  knows  nothing  beyond  the  fact  that  I  am  Demarch 
of  Melnos.     No,  my  son,  you  have  wooed  and  won  your  bride 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  325 

entirely  on  your  merits,  so  now  you  can  understand  how  de- 
delighted  I  am  at  the  prospect  of  this  marriage,  which  will 
blend  both  the  elder  and  younger  branch  of  the  family  in 
one  common  line." 

"  Can  I  tell  Helena  ?  " 

"Certainly,  whenever  you  please." 

"  Here  is  Helena  now,"  sai<J  Crispin,  as  the  girl,  looking 
rather  pale,  entered  the  court.  ''  Come  here,  sister  Helena ; 
Maurice  has  something  to  tell  you." 

'•  About  Caliphronas  ?  "  asked  Helena,  coming  up  close  to 
her  father. 

"  No,  my  dear,"  said  her  father,  kissing  her  fondly.  "  Cali- 
phronas has  received  the  reward  of  his  treachery,  and  has 
left  Melnos  forever." 

"I  am  glad  of  that,  father,"  said  the  girl,  with  a  sigh  of 
relief.  "  You  can  have  no  idea  how  I  disliked  him.  But  has 
he  been  treacherous  ?  " 

"  Very  ;  he  wanted  to  give  up  Melnos  to  Alcibiades." 

"Did  he  dare?" 

"  Yes ;  and  was  only  deterred  from  doing  so  by  being 
promised  both  yourself  and  the  island." 

"But,  father,"  cried  Helena  in  great  distress,  "you  did  not 
want  me  to  marry  Caliphronas  ?  " 

"  Never  !  I  wished  you  to  marry  Maurice." 

"  Well,  your  wishes  are  going  to  be  fulfilled,"  said  Helena, 
with  a  lovely  smile,  turning  to  her  lover. 

"Helena,"  remarked  Maurice,  with  mock  solemnity,  taking 
her  hands,  "  look  at  me  carefully." 

"  I  am  doing  so  with  both  eyes." 

"  Do  you  know  who  I  am  ?  " 

"  Of  course  —  Maurice  Roylands." 

"  And  what  else  ?  " 

"  My  —  my  future  husband,"  said  the  girl,  with  an  amused 
smile. 

"  Still,  I  am  something  even  more." 

"I  don't  understand,"  began  Helena  in  bewilderment, 
when  Justinian  interposed. 

"  Do  not  tease  the  child  so,  Maurice.  Helena,  this  is  your 
future  husband  and  your  first  cousin." 

"  My  cousin  ! " 

''  By  all  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,"  said  Mau- 
rice, kissing  her.  "  Your  father  is  my  long-lost  uncle 
Rudolph,  of  whom  I  have  spoken,  and  you,  my  sweet  bride 
to  be,  are  my  dear  coz  Helena." 


326  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A    ROLLING    STONE. 

In  olden  days  folks  mostly  stayed  at  home, 
Nor  e'er  in  quest  of  unknown  lands  departed, 
And  tho'  some  ne'er-do-weels  at  times  would  roam, 
They  came  back  poorer  than  the  day  they  started: 
From  which  disastrous  lives  tliere  comes  alone 
That  foolish  proverb  of  a  rolling  stone. 

If  such  advice  in  earnest  we  obeyed, 

Its  narrow  views  would  certainly  benumb  us  ; 

The  progress  of  the  world  would  be  delayed, 

For  lack  of  Marco  Polo  and  Columbus  ! 

They  tore  aside  the  veil  which  hid  our  eyes, 

And  showed  us  unknown  worlds  and  unknown  skies. 

So  now  that  proverb  trite  is  obsolete  ; 
Our  enterprise  has  made  far  lands  alluring, 
And  north  and  south  our  fellow-men  we  meet, 
With  Cook  and  Gaze  in  restless  parties  touring, 
A  rolling  stone  gains  something  for  its  loss, 
And  polish  is  more  valuable  than  moss. 

In  due  time  Alexandros  came  back  to  the  Acropolis,  and 
reported  that  Caliphronas  had  left  the  island  in  a  small  boat, 
and  when  last  seen  his  craft  was  running  before  the  wind  in 
the  direction  of  Kamila.  On  hearing  this,  Justinian  had  no 
doubt  but  that  the  Greek  was  on  his  way  to  stir  up  Alcibia- 
des  to  immediate  action ;  therefore  resolved  to  lose  no  time 
in  putting  Melnos  in  a  thorough  state  of  defence.  In  the 
meantime,  he  placed  a  strong  guard  at  the  gate  of  the  tunnel 
and  in  the  western  pass,  so  as  to  prevent  the  island  being 
taken  by  surprise.  At  all  events,  there  was  no  special  ne- 
cessity for  prompt  action,  as  Caliphronas  had  only  departed 
that  day,  and  in  all  probability  Alcibiades  would  not  attack 
Melnos  for  at  least  one  week. 

Privately,  Maurice  wondered  if  the  Greek,  adrift  in  a  small 
boat,  would  succeed  in  reaching  land  safely,  as,  judging  from 
his  terror  on  the  night  of  the  shipwreck,  he  had  not  much 
pluck  in  foul  weather.  The  sky,  however,  was  perfectly  clear, 
and  there  was  no  chance  of  tlie  castaway  being  caught  in  a 
storm,  so  Justinian  laughed  at  the  fears  of  his  nephew,  and 
bade  him  set  his  mind  at  peace.  Caliphronas,  he  said,  knew 
the  waters  of  the  ^gean  Sea  well,  he  had  but  a  few  miles  to 
sail  before  reaching  Kamila,  and  once  there  he  would  doubt- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  327 

less  meet  with  some  of  Alcibiades'  followers  to  guide  him  to 
their  chief.  In  his  innermost  heart,  the  old  Deiuarch  rather 
regretted  that  Caliph ronas  should  thus  escape  safely,  and 
would  not  have  grieved  much  had  the  treacherous  scamp 
been  drowned  in  the  sea,  instead  of  reaching  Alcibiades  with- 
out harm,  and  stirring  up  that  accomplished  cut-throat  to 
immediate  war.  There  was  no  chance,  however,  of  such  an 
event  happening,  and  Justinian  quite  expected  within  the 
week  to  see  the  Melnosian  waters  covered  with  the  boats  of 
his  bitter  enemies. 

Helena  was  much  astonished  and  delighted  to  find  that 
Maurice  was  her  cousin,  and  though  she  could  scarcely  be 
more  m  love  with  him  than  she  already  was,  yet  felt  that 
this  bond  of  blood-relationship  bound  him  to  her  by  a  nearer 
and  dearer  tie  than  even  that  of  her  future  husband.  They 
talked  of  a  thousand  things  in  connection  with  their  future 
lite,  but  neither  of  them  dreamed  of  returning  to  the  family 
seat  m  England,  but  hoped,  when  this  war-cloud  had  blown 
over,  to  pass  the  rest  of  their  lives  untouched  by  sorrow  in 
this  lotus-land  of  the  East.  Maurice,  in  common  with  Cris- 
pin, was  anxiously  expecting  letters  from  home,  but  as  yet 
none  had  reached  them  ;  so  to  all  appearances  it  looked  as 
though  they  would  be  blockaded  in  the  island  by  the  pirates 
before  any  communication  arrived  at  Syra. 

On  the  day  of  Caliphronas'  departure,  however,  they  were 
thinking  but  little  of  these  things,  as  Maurice  was  anxious 
to  learn  the  history  of  his  uncle ;  while  Rudolph  Roy  lands 
on  his  part  —  now  being  able  to  talk  feely  of  himself,  owing 
to  the  revelation  of  his  identity  — was  desirous  of  hearino- 
all  about  his  late  brother,  the  ancestral  estate,  and  the  pres"! 
ent  position  of  the  Roylands  family.  He  did  not  want  to 
s]:>eak  of  these  things  before  Helena,  as  he  judged  the  girl 
had  undergone  quite  enough  excitement  for  the  present,  and 
besides,  there  were  many  things  in  his  own  career  which  he 
did  not  care  about  speaking  of  before  this  innocent  child. 

Justinian  was  not  a  bad  man;  but,  having  one  of  those 
restless,  adventurous  spirits,  whose  impulsiveness  leads  them 
into  strange  scrapes,  had  during  his  sojourn  in  the  Levant 
indulged  m  many  escapades,  which,  if  not  exactly  criminal 
were  yet  daring  and  lawless  enough  to  startle  a  sober-minded 
person.  The  serious  Justinian  of  the  present  was  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  dashing  Rudolph  of  the  past ;  and  as  his 
daughter  knew  him  only  in  his  reverend  old  age,  and  re- 
spected him  as   the  wisest,  kindest,  and  best   of  men,  he 


328  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

naturally  did  not  want  to  disturb  that  feeling  by  a  narration 
of  the  wild  adventures  of  his  somewhat  scampish  youth. 

Therefore  it  was  not  until  Helena  had  retired  to  rest  that 
he  told  Maurice  his  story  ;  and  the  three  men  sat  up  till 
nearly  morning;  the  eldest  talking  in  the  Arabian  Nights  vein, 
and  the  two  younger  listening  with  rapt  attention  to  the 
fascinating  career  of  this  free-lance  of  the  Middle  Ages,  born 
by  some  strange  chance  among  the  respectabilities  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  Passionate  as  Benvenuto  Cellini,  am- 
bitious as  the  first  Napoleon,  reckless  as  Caesar  Borgia,  and 
fascinating  as  Lord  Byron,  this  extraordinary  being  pos- 
sessed all  those  vices,  virtues,  charm,  and  astuteness,  we  find, 
not  in  our  military  machines  of  to-day,  but  in  those  brilliant 
adventurers  of  the  Renaissance,  who  burned  fiercely  over 
the  troubled  world  of  those  days  like  wandering  stars ;  terri- 
bly grand  to  look  upon,  but  carrying  destruction  and  dread 
everywhere  as  they  swept  onward  in  their  fatal  path. 

After  supper  Helena  retired,  and  Justinian  went  with  his 
guests  into  the  cool  court,  where  they  comfortably  seated 
themselves  under  the  star-strewn  sky  with  coffee  and  tobacco. 
But  the  coffee  grew  cold  and  the  tobacco  burned  untasted  to 
ashes,  as  Maurice  and  Crispin,  with  their  elbows  on  their 
knees,  leaned  forward  to  listen  to  the  wondrous  story  of 
this  modern  Ulysses,  who  had  seen  many  lands,  knew  many 
people,  and  had  done  many  reckless,  wild  deeds  during  his 
stormy  career. 

Justinian  himself  grew  excited  like  an  old  war-horse,  as 
he  told  of  his  early  life ;  and  it  was  easily  seen  that  his 
spirit  was  as  dauntless  as  ever,  that  a  thirst  for  adventure 
still  possessed  his  soul,  and  that  he  chafed  bitterly  at  the  in- 
glorious ease  to  which  his  frail  body  condemned  him.  His 
bright  eyes  flashed  at  the  memories  of  his  hot  youth,  and  his 
grand  voice  pealed  trumpet-like  through  the  still  air,  as  he 
strode  up  and  down  before  his  enthralled  listeners,  reciting 
deeds  of  derring-do  done  in  the  times  that  had  been. 

"  Yes,  those  were  grand  days  in  Bolivia,"  he  said,  resum- 
ing his  seat,  after  an  outburst  of  stormy  passion,  as  old 
memories  awoke  in  his  brain.  "  I  feel  carried  away  to  the 
past  when  I  talk  of  them.  If  Jumez  had  only  brought  his 
troops  np  in  time,  I  might  have  been  President  of  a  South 
American  Republic  instead  of  Demarch  of  Melnos.  Well, 
at  all  events,  my  late  years  have  been  peaceful  enough ;  and 
as  President  1  would  have  had  but  a  stormy  time,  ending, 
very  likely,  in  a  violent  death." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  329 

"And  alter  you  left  South  America,  uncle  ?" 

"  I  came  back  to  England  in  a  sailing  vessel.  There  was 
a  mutiny  on  board  of  her,  which  I  and  three  other  fellows 
managed  to  quell ;  but  we  held  our  lives  in  our  hands  all 
the  way  until  we  got  to  England.  When  I  left  the  ship,  I 
went  down  to  Koylands  in  disguise,  to  look  after  my  people, 
and  found  them  all  happy.  I  had  not  killed  your  father,  as 
I  had  feared;  and  he  was  now  married  to  Rose.  They 
seemed  happy  enough,  so  I  had  not  the  heart  to  disturb  them. 
It  would  have  been  no  pleasure  to  me  to  take  the  estate 
from  Austin,  as  I  had  plenty  of  that  treasure  I  found 
in  Bolivia,  and  the  life  of  a  country  gentleman  was  irksome 
to  me.  Besides,  the  woman  I  had  loved  so  fondly  was  now 
my  brother's  wife  ;  so  I  had  nothing  to  gain  by  revealing  my- 
self. I  strayed  about  the  old  place  for  a  time,  and  then 
returned  to  London,  in  order  to  think  of  my  future.  I  was 
very  wealthy,  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  anxious  for  adventure, 
so  at  first  I  thought  of  returning  to  the  army,  but  on  reflec- 
tion I  decided  that  my  first  experience  of  soldiering  had 
been  quite  enough,  so  turned  my  attention  to  travelling,  and 
went  all  over  Europe,  which  tour  I  found  but  tame  work. 
Asia  was  more  exciting,  however ;  and  I  had  some  good  tiger- 
hunting  in  India.  When  I  left  that  place,  I  went  down 
Cape  Town  way,  and  explored  the  southern  wilds  of  Africa, 
which  were  even  more  savage  than  they  are  now.  I  got  this 
wound  there  in  a  row  with  the  niggers." 

He  drew  up  his  sleeve,  and  showed  a  white  cicatrice  on 
his  arm,  which  must  have  been  a  dangerous  wound;  and 
then  began  to  tell  of  his  African  adventures,  of  battles  with 
savage  tribes,  of  explorings  in  unknown  wilds,  fights  with 
wild  beasts,  elephant  hunts,  witchcraft  ceremonies  of  the  Obi 
kind,  until  the  listeners  did  not  know  at  which  to  marvel 
most,  his  memory  or  the  bizarre  existence  he  had  led. 

"  I  had  five  years  of  that  sort  of  thing,"  he  went  on,  after 
a  pause,  "  and  it  became  rather  tiresome.  Besides,  I  was 
now  thirty-five  years  of  age,  and  thought  it  was  best  to  set- 
tle down,  but  where  I  could  not  make  up  my  mind.  He  who 
has  prairie  fever  once  always  gets  it  again,  and  it  sends  him 
off  on  his  travels  into  the  wilds  as  if  he  were  stung  by  the 
gadfly  of  lo.  What  I  wanted  was  some  big  work  to  keep 
my  mind  and  body  busy ;  but,  with  all  ray  wealth,  I  really 
did  not  see  where  I  could  find  such  occupation.  True,  I 
might  have  remained  in  Africa,  and  become  a  kind  of  savage 
king;  but,  with  all  my  buccaneering  leanings,  I  had  intellect 


330  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

enough  to  despise  such  rusting  away  in  tropical  forests 
beyond  the  reach  of  civilization.  I  wished  to  exercise  my 
brain  as  well  as  my  body ;  yet,  in  spite  of  all  my  bard  think- 
ing, no  scheme  appeared  feasible  enough  to  give  me  work, 
interest,  and  pleasure  when  I  ha,d  passed  the  meridian  of 
life.  England  I  disliked  returning  to,  as  a  cramped  exist- 
ence in  that  gray  little  island  would  have  sent  me  mad  ;  and 
unless  I  had  asserted  my  right  to  E-oylands,  and  entered 
Parliament,  I  did  not  see  how  I  could  employ  my  time.  Be- 
sides, I  was  averse  to  disturbing  Austin  ;  and  the  prejudices 
I  would  meet  with  on  all  sides  from  narrow-minded  stay-at- 
homes  would  have  sent  me  back  again  to  a  savage  life.  Un- 
like the  Genii  in  the  "Arabian  Nights,"  I  could  not  go  back 
to  my  jar  after  once  being  released  therefrom. 

'•  England,  therefore,  being  out  of  the  question,  I  had  seri- 
ous thoughts  of  returning  to  South  America,  and  exploring 
up  the  Orinoco  river,  where  they  say  all  sorts  of  buried 
cities,  civilized  Indians,  and  golden  temples  are  to  be  found. 
Then,  changing  my  mind,  I  almost  decided  to  go  to  San 
Francisco,  and  have  a  try  at  gold-digging.  Feeling  doubtful 
of  this  being  worth  undertaking,  I  fancied  Australia,  where 
fortunes  were  being  made  up  Ballarat  way,  would  suit  me  ; 
but  this  idea  I  also  abandoned.  I  did  not  wish  to  make  my 
fortune,  as  I  already  had  more  money  than  I  knew  what  to 
do  with  ;  and  it  was  all  safely  invested  in  England.  You  see, 
Maurice,  I  had  the  price  of  my  army  commission,  which  was 
no  great  sum,  my  mother's  fcrtune,  which  was  considerable, 
and  also  that  enormous  Incas  treasure  I  dug  up  near  Lake 
Titicaco,  which  nearly  cost  me  my  life,  as  I  told  you ;  so  you 
can  fancy  I  was  quite  a  millionnaire  long  before  the  days  of 
Chicago  pig-sticking  and  Pennsylvanian  oil  wells." 
"  How  did  you  decide  to  come  to  the  ^gean  ?  " 
"  Well,  that  came  about  in  a  queer  sort  of  way,"  said  the 
Demarch,  lighting  his  pipe.  "  When  I  was  up  at  Zanzibar, 
which  was  about  as  far  north  as  I  had  then  got,  I  met  a  poor 
devil  of  a  Greek  who  was  starving,  so  took  him  about  with 
me  as  a  kind  of  companion.  He  had  been  mixed  up  in  the 
AVar  of  Independence,  and  got  on  the  bad  side  of  King 
Otho,  who  was,  at  that  time,  ruling  Greece  about  as  badly  as 
it  could  be  ruled.  My  Greek  had  a  dream  of  reviving  the  old 
Hellenic  learning ;  but  with  the  country  under  a  Bavarian 
king,  and  overrun  with  brigands,  he  did  not  see  how  this 
could  be  done.  I  told  him  of  my  desire  to  find  something  to 
occupy  my  mind  and  body  5  so  he  suggested,  as  I  had  such  a 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  331 

lot  of  money,  I  ought  to  try  to  start  a  little  kingdom  of  my 
own  on  an  intellectual  basis.  The  idea  took  my  fancy 
greatly,  as  I  was  always  of  an  administrative  turn  of  mind ; 
and  then  he  told  me  about  this  island  of  Melnos,  and  how  it 
could  be  cultivated,  fortified,  and  made  into  a  kind  of  El}' slum 
by  a  man  with  capital.  After  some  deliberation  1  decided 
to  do  this,  and  pose  as  a  second  Lord  Byron  ;  therefore,  with 
my  Greek,  I  went  up  the  coast  in  a  trading  vessel,  and  into 
the  Red  Sea.  It  was  very  uncivilized  in  those  days,  and  we 
had  all  kinds  of  adventures,  in  one  of  which  my  poor  Hellene 
was  knocked  on  the  head;  so  I  was  left  to  battle  my 
way  on  alone  over  the  isthmus  to  the  Mediterranean." 
'•  I  wonder  you  were  not  killed." 

"  I  was  pretty  nearly,"  rejoined  Justinian  grimly  ;  ^'  espe- 
cially up  Suez  way.  Of  course,  at  that  time,  there  was  no 
canal,  and  no  Suez ;  but  I  managed  somehow  to  get  across 
the  isthmus  to  Alexandria.  I  need  not  tell  you  all  my  ad- 
ventures from  the  time  I  left  Zanzibar,  as  it  would  take  too 
long;  but  they  were  just  as  exciting  as  the  Bolivian  esca- 
pades, if  not  quite  as  bloodthirsty." 

"  You  ought  to  publish  a  book  of  your  career." 
"My  dear  Crispin,  they  would  call  me  a  second  Baron 
Munchausen,  for  many  of  my  adventures  would  seem  im- 
possible in  these  tame  days  of  Cook's  tourist  parties.  The 
thirties  were  a  great  falling  off  from  the  buccaneering  times, 
but  in  these  da}- s  the  thirties  seem  quite  bloodthirsty ;  and 
where  the  next  generation  of  born  adventurers,  such  as  I  was, 
will  find  scope  for  the  exercise  of  their  talents,  I  am  sure  I 
do  not  know." 

"  Well,  uncle,  and  what  did  you  do  after  Alexandria  ?  " 
"  I  came  on  to  Athens  to  see  about  my  new  Hellas.  There 
I  hired  a  kind  of  small  schooner,  and,  with  picked  men,  went 
down  among  the  islands,  until  I  came  across  Melnos.  I  rec- 
ognized it  from  the  description  of  the  Greek  at  Zanzibar; 
and,  having  lauded,  climbed  up  over  the  peaks.  When  I  saw 
this  valley,  I  w^as  enchanted,  for  it  was  indeed  a  fortress, 
formed  by  the  hand  of  Nature  herself.  True,  at  first,  I  hes- 
itated about  establishing  a  colony  in  the  crater  of  an  extinct 
volcano,  for  one  would  never  know  when  it  would  break  out 
again.  However,  when  I  saw  this  Temple  of  Hephaistos,  I 
felt  pretty  safe,  as  the  crater  must  have  been  extinct  wlien 
it  was  built  by  the  old  Hellenes,  thousands  of  years  before. 
So  I  thought,  if  the  volcano  had  kept  quiet  since  the  days 
of  Pericles,  it  would  surely  keep  quiet  for  the  next  thousand 
years." 


332  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  And  probably  will ! " 

"I  hope  so ;  at  least  I  have  seen  no  signs  of  eruption ;  besides, 
there  is  a  vent  for  the  volcanic  forces  at  Santorin,  so  that 
ought  to  preserve  Melnos  intact  forever.  Well,  as  I  said, 
I  saw  this  island,  found  it  suitable  for  my  proposed  scheme, 
and  went  back  to  Athens,  to  buy  it  of  the  Greek  Govern- 
ment. There  I  was  told  the  island  belonged  to  Turkey, 
as  the  Greek  tributary  islands  only  extend  as  far  down  as 
Santorin.  Nothing  daunted,  I  went  to  Stamboul,  and,  after 
about  a  year's  hard  work,  managed  to  buy  Melnos  for  a  good 
round  sum  —  it  was  a  pretty  stiff  price,  I  can  tell  you,  but 
my  Incas  treasure  proved  equal  to  it,  and  even  when  I  had 
paid  down  the  money,  I  still  found  myself  with  plenty  in 
hand  with  which  to  start  my  colony." 

"  So  INIelnos  is  absolutely  your  own  ?  " 

"  Absolutely  !  I  can  leave  it  to  whom  I  please.  It  is  my 
private  estate,  and,  as  I  have  always  kept  friends  with  the 
Sublime  Porte,  there  is  no  chance  of  it  being  taken  from  me. 
When  you  succeed  me  here,  Maurice,  you  will  find  every- 
thing drawn  out,  fair  and  square,  with  my  lawyers  in 
London." 

"  What !  have  you  not  the  Sultan's  firman  here  ?  " 

"  ISTo.  London  is  safer ;  for  even  if  Alcibiades  were  to 
take  the  island,  I  can  still  prove  my  right  to  it  by  my  papers 
in  London.  I  paid  too  sweetly  for  it  to  those  greedy  Turks, 
not  to  take  all  precautions  to  keep  my  title  safely  stowed 
away,  where  it  would  meet  with  no  accidents.  London  is 
the  safest  city  in  the  world  for  the  preservation  of  such 
things  ;  so  in  London  I  placed  all  papers  recognizing  my 
right  to  the  ownership  of  this  island." 

"  Well,  uncle,  now  you  had  your  new  Kome,  but  what  about 
the  citizens  ?  " 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,  I  did  not  find  any  difficulty  in  obtaining 
plenty  of  men  eager  to  settle  down  under  my  protection.  In 
those  days,  what  with  Turkish  misrule,  pirates  at  sea,  and  bri- 
gands on  land,  the  islanders  fared  badly  enough,  and  when  I 
promised  such  as  became  my  subjects  absolute  immunit}^  from 
such  ills,  the  difficulty  I  found  was  as  to  quality,  not  quantity. 
It  v/as  the  pure  Hellenic  stock  I  wanted,  from  which  to 
develop  my  new  learning,  and  there  is  a  good  deal  of  mixed 
blood,  even  among  these  insular  Greeks.  However,  by  care- 
ful selection,  I  managed  to  get  together  a  goodly  number  of 
jmre-blooded  males,  and  these  brought  their  wives  and  sweet- 
hearts to  my  island  colony.     Children  and  old  men  I  would 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  333 

not  have,  as  the  latter  were  useless  for  my  purpose  ;  and 
with  regard  to  children,  I  wanted  to  regulate  the  births 
myself,  so  as  to  keep  the  new  race  up  to  my  standard.  In 
time,  I  populated  Melnos  accorded  to  my  mind,  and  then  set 
my  new  subjects  to  work  on  dwellings  and  industries.  First, 
I  repaired  this  temple  for  my  own  accommodation,  and 
arranged  my  system  of  government ;  planted  mulberry  trees, 
obtained  silkworms,  built  factories,  and  so  on.  Olives,  vine- 
yards, and  currant  vines,  I  also  planted,  and  after  a  few 
years  they  began  to  flourish  greatly,  so  gradually  I  estab- 
lished a  commerce  with  the  surrounding  islands,  and  thus 
Melnos,  by  its  exports,  was  able  to  earn  an  income  for  itself. 
What  with  keeping  the  island  going  in  its  infancy,  buying 
what  was  required  for  my  people,  and  carrying  out  engineer- 
ing occupations,  my  capital,  large  as  it  was,  had  dwindled 
considerably,  and  I  was  delighted  when  I  found  that  from  all 
my  outlay  I  was  now  realizing  an  income  sufficient  not  only 
to  carry  out  further  works,  but  also  to  leave  a  surplus,  which 
I  saved  up  against  bad  seasons.  Every  year  I  devote  part  of 
the  income  derived  from  my  industries  to  public  works  in 
connection  with  the  place  and  the  people,  and  the  balance  I 
place  out  at  interest  in  London." 

"  Still  London  ! " 

"  Well,  you  would  not  have  me  risk  all  my  hard  earnings 
in  Athens,  would  you  ?  A  commercial  crisis,  a  revolution,  a 
war,  and  where  would  my  money  be ;  while  London,  though 
liable  to  social  depression,  is  at  least  safe  as  regards  the 
other  two  contingencies.  No !  year  after  j^ear,  I  have  sent 
my  money  to  England,  and  now  Melnos  has  an  assured 
income  which  would  keep  her  going,  even  though  she  earned 
nothing  for  many  years." 

"  And  have  you  been  to  England  since  you  settled  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Demarch,  with  a  half  sigh.  "  I  went 
once,  in  order  to  arrange  about  the  safe  investment  of  my 
Melnosian  moneys,  and  remained  in  London  some  months. 
When  I  returned,  I  brought  back  your  mother,  Crispin,  and 
you." 

"  My  mother  !  "  echoed  Crispin,  with  a  deep  flush ;  "  and 
her  name  ?  " 

"I  cannot  tell  you  that  now,"  answered  Justinian,  a  trifle 
sadly ;  "  but  when  all  these  troubles  are  over,  I  will  do  so." 

"  Why  not  now  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  reason  for  not  doing  so." 

Crispin  did  not  like  this  further  putting  off,  but  he  knew 


834  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

Justinian  was  iron  when  once  lie  had  made  up  his  mind,  so  sub- 
mitted to  the  further  procrastination  of  the  important  secret 
with  a  sufficiently  good  grace,  although  he  made  one  objection. 

"  You  might  be  killed  in  the  mean  time." 

"  If  that  happens,  you  will  find  all  papers  necessary  to 
establish  your  legitimacy  with  my  London  solicitors.  You 
think  I  am  harsh  and  unkind,  Crispin,  in  not  telling  you 
what  you  wish  to  know  now,  but,  when  I  reveal  all,  you  will 
see  I  have  a  good  reason  for  my  not  doing  so.  One  thing  I 
can  comfort  you  with,  however,  — your  father  is  alive,  and  I 
will  restore  you  to  his  arms." 

"  And  my  mother  ?  " 

"She  is  dead.  You  know  she  died  here,  my  boy.  It  is  a 
sad  story  I  will  have  to  tell  you,  but,  at  all  events,  you  will 
have  a  father,  and  a  name  as  good  as  any  in  England." 

"  With  that  promise  I  am  content,"  said  Crispin  gladly ; 
"  as  you  have  brought  me  up  from  infancy,  I  would  be  indeed 
ungrateful  if  I  did  not  trust  you  to  the  end." 

"  Yet  you  left  me  in  anger ! " 

"  I  think  3^ou  must  blame  Caliphronas  for  that.  It  was 
his  machinations  that  caused  you  to  misjudge  me,  as  I  mis- 
judged you." 

"  Caliphronas  has  been  the  bad  genius  of  us  all,"  said  Jus- 
tinian decisively ;  "  but  now,  thank  heaven,  he  is  gone,  and 
will  trouble  us  no  more." 

"My  faith!"  cried  Maurice  lightly,  "he  will  trouble  us  a 
good  deal,  if  he  brings  Alcibiades  here." 

"Ah,  that  is  open  war!  I  do  not  mind  that.  It  was  his 
hidden  treachery  to  which  I  referred." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Roylands  meditatively,  "  I  suppose 
that  Caliphronas  thinks  you  have  untold  treasures  in  this 
Acropolis  ?  " 

"  He  does ;  and  that  is  one  of  the  reasons  he  desires  to 
plunder  Melnos.  Fortunately,  all  my  money  derived  from 
the  island  is  in  London." 

"  What  a  disappointment  for  Alcibiades  &  Company  when 
they  find  no  treasure  here  ! "  cried  Crispin,  laughing. 

"  They  must  never  get  here  !  "  said  the  Demarch  resolutely  ; 
"  I  will  defend  the  island  to  the  bitter  end,  and,  in  spite  of 
their  strength,  I  fancy  they  will  find  it  difficult  to  force 
either  the  western  pass  or  the  tunnel." 

"  If  you  had  the  western  pass  as  an  entrance  to  Melnos, 
why  did  you  pierce  the  tunnel  ?  "  asked  Maurice  curiously  ; 
"  would  it  not  have  been  better  to  have  only  one  entrance  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  335 

"  Decidedly.  But  you  see  the  western  side  of  Melnos  is 
exposed  to  the  gales  ;  and,  in  spite  of  the  harbor,  its  an- 
chorage is  hardly  safe ;  so  I  was  forced  to  build  a  breakwater 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  island.  Of  course,  this  being  the 
case,  when  ships  were  loaded  or  unloaded  there,  the  goods 
could  not  be  taken  round  to  the  western  pass, — hence  the 
tunnel." 

''I  think  your  scheme  is  a  wonderful  one,"  said  Maurice, 
with  great  admiration  5  "  and  wonderfully  carried  out." 

"  It  is  yet  only  in  its  infancy,  and  needs  a  wise  ruler  to 
carry  it  on  to  ripe  fruition.  That  ruler,  Maurice,  I  expect 
to  find  in  you." 

''I  trust  you  will  not  be  disappointed  in  my  administra- 
tive ability." 

"  Well,  I  am  satisfied  so  far.  You  have  courage,  judgment, 
and  self-control,  which  are  the  main  things  needed  to  con- 
trol these  excitable  Greeks.  But  let  us  not  go  too  fast,  for 
I  know  not  yet  if  you  intend  to  stay  in  Melnos." 

•'  Assuredly  I  do ;  especially  now  I  have  discovered  you 
are  my  uncle.  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  our  relationship 
before  ?  "  ^ 

"  Because  I  wished  you  to  fall  in  love  with  your  cousin  on 
your  own  account.  Had  I  revealed  myself,  and  suggested 
the  marriage,  with  the  natural  dislike  of  a  young  man  to  be 
forced  into  matrimony,  you  might  have  objected.  Oh,  my 
dear  nephew,  I  have  had  these  plans  in  my  head  for  a  long 
time.  Long  ago  I  saw  that  neither  Crispin  nor  Andros"! 
whom  I  had  trained  as  my  successors,  would  suit  the  post. 
You,  Crispin,  are  a  poet,  and  not  a  ruler,  while  as  for  Andros, 
whom  you  know  better  as  Caliphronas,  he  is  but  an  idle 
scamp,  who  would  undo  all  my  forty  years'  work.  When  I 
saw  my  failure  in  this  respect,  I  married  a  Greek  girl,  more 
from  policy  than  love,  in  order  to  beget  an  heir,  but  she  died 
when  Helena  was  born,  and  thus  I  was  disappointed  of  a 
son." 

"But  you  surely  do  not  regret  it,  uncle,  when  you  have 
Helena." 

"  No  ;  I  do  not  now,  as  I  love  my  child  dearly,  but  I  did 
then,  as  I  was  at  my  wits'  end  whom  to  select  as  a  successor. 
Then  I  heard  all  about  you,  Maurice,  from  my  agents  in  Eng- 
land, and  resolved  to  send  for  you  here,  and,  before  reveal- 
ing myself,  ascertain  for  myself  whether  you  were  fit  for 
such  a  responsible  post  as  ruler  of  Melnos.  The  task  of 
bringing  you  in  ignorance  here  was  a  delicate  one,  and  I  en- 


336  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

trusted  it  to  Andros.  who  promised  to  fulfil  it  on  the  ground 
that  I  would  permit  him  to  pay  his  addresses  to  Helena.  I 
agreed  to  this,  and  the  result  you  see  ;  but  there  was  no 
question  of  a  forced  marriage  until  lately,  when  it  was  ren- 
dered necessary  to  mislead  Caliphronas,  out  of  policy.  He 
brought  you  here,  Maurice,  and  the  rest  you  know,  as  every- 
thing has  turned  out  better  than  I  expected.  You  are  go- 
ing to  marry  Helena,  and  succeed  me  here,  —  that  is,  if  you 
have  quite  decided  to  stay." 

'•'I  have  decided,"  replied  Maurice,  grasping  his  uncle's 
hand  warmly.  "  I  hesitated  at  first,  but  now  do  so  no 
longer.  There  is  nothing  to  keep  me  in  England,  and  when 
Crispin  marries  Eunice,  they  can  stay  at  the  Grange  and 
look  after  the  estate,  while  Helena  and  m3^self  stay 
here." 

"  But  your  old  tutor  ?  " 

"  If  my  old  tutor  comes  out,  I  am  sure  he  will  be  delighted 
for  me  to  stay  here  and  forward  j^our  plans  of  a  new  Hellas. 
He  is  an  ardent  Greek  scholar,  and  will  approve  thoroughly 
of  my  undertaking  a  good  work  like  the  revival  of  learning, 
rather  than  idling  away  a  discontented  existence  in  Eng- 
land." 

"  Good  ! "  said  Justinian,  with  great  satisfaction  ;  "  all  this 
sets  my  mind  at  rest.  Never  fear  about  this  Alcibiades 
trouble,  ]\Iaurice,  for  Melnos  is  strong,  and  I  think  we  can 
defend  her  stanchly.  When  all  these  storms  are  at  an  end, 
I  will  devote  the  remainder  of  my  days  to  teaching  you  all 
the  necessary  rules  of  my  polic}^,  so  that  you  can  carry  it  out 
completely  when  I  die.  You,  as  my  heir,  Maurice,  will  in- 
herit this  island,  and  all  the  invested  moneys  in  London  ;  so 
you  will  find  everything  smooth  before  you  to  carry  on  the 
work  which  I  have  begun." 

"  Well,  after  all  this  conversation,  I  think  we  had  bettc  r 
go  to  bed,"  said  Crispin,  rising  with  a  yawn. 

"I  am  afraid  it  will  be  morning  soon,"  replied  Justinian, 
with  a  smile,  as  he  followed  his  example,  "  so  you  will  not 
get  much  sleep ;  but  I  am  glad  I  have  told  you  all  my  his- 
tory." 

"  It  is  wonderful !  "  cried  Maurice  enthusiastically  ;  "  and 
quite  gives  the  lie  to  the  proverb,  that  '  A  rolling  stone 
gathers  no  moss.' " 

"Stones  that  rest  in  inglorious  ease  ixain  moss,"  said  Jus- 
tinian wisely  ;  ''  but  rolling  stones  which  circle  the  world 
gather  polish.      Marco  Polo,  Columbus,    Drake,    Napoleon, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  337 

Caesar,  were  all  rolling  stones,  and  I  think  have  been  of  more 
benefit  to  the  world  than  those  wiseacres  who  remain  gather- 
ing moss  in  the  dulness  of  their  homes,  in  the  belief  that 
such  veiretating  is  the  true  aim  of  existence." 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

KEEPING    VIGIL. 

All  day,  all  night,  with  anxious  eyes, 

I  vigil  keep, 
To  watch  the  ever-changing  skies, 

The  changeless  deep  ; 
Yet  though  for  rest  the  spirit  sighs, 

I  dare  not  sleep. 

For  in  the  skies  will  comets  pale 

Burn  warningly, 
When  filled  with  foes  black  vessels  sail 

Across  the  sea. 
To  wake  upon  our  shores  the  wail 

Of  misery. 

Yet  though  such  ships  and  stars  appear 

As  portents  vile. 
Our  faces  will  devoid  of  fear 

With  courage  smile, 
For  Greek  and  Englishman  will  here 

Defend  the  isle. 

Two  weeks  passed  since  the  departure  of  Caliphronas  to  stir 
up  war  against  Melnos.  Yet  Alcibiades  made  no  sign  of 
attacking  the  island,  so  doubtless  his  plans  had  not  yet  ma- 
tured sufficiently  to  permit  of  the  assault,  or  else  he  was  try- 
ing to  lull  the  Melnosians  into  a  false  security,  so  as  to  storm 
them  unawares.  Justinian  himself  thought  this  latter  supposi- 
tion the  more  likely,  but  was  too  old  a  campaigner  to  be  thus 
caught  napping,  and  day  and  night  had  sentinels  posted  on 
the  highest  peaks  of  the  island  to  give  notice  of  the  approach 
of  the  enemy  by  lighting  watch-fires  which  were  all  ready 
prepared. 

As  before  st^ated,  the  defenders  of  IMelnos,  inclusive  of 
the  Englishmen,  numbered  about  a  hundred  and  twenty; 
certainly  a  small  force  to  hold  the  island  against  three  hun- 
dred enemies,  which,  as  Caliphronas  had  told  Justinian,  was 
the  strength  of  Alcibiades'  army.     Melnos,  however,  strongly 


338  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

fortified  by  nature,  was  quite  the  Gibraltar  of  the  ^gean, 
and,  owing  to  the  ruggedness  and  height  of  the  surrounding 
peaks,  no  enem}^  could  gain  the  crater  of  the  volcano  save 
by  the  western  pass  or  the  tunnel,  both  of  which  were  skil- 
fully defended  by  wooden  palisades.  ISIaurice  himself 
thought  it  a  mistake  that  these  barriers  were  not  constructed 
of  stone,  but  Justinian  explained  that  they  were  thus  built 
so  as  to  admit  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  being  seen,  when 
a  few  determined  men  intrenched  behind  could  keep  at  bay 
a  large  force  in  the  narrowness  of  the  tunnel  or  of  the  pass, 
whereas,  if  a  stone  wall  intervened,  an  outside  foe  could 
perhaps  batter  it  down  without  hurt  from  the  defenders. 

Another  advantage  which  Justinian  had  over  a  hostile 
force  was  the  fact  of  the  tunnel  being  a  staircase,  as  his  men 
posted  on  the  heights  could  sweep  down  the  enemy  climb- 
ing slowly  upward.  In  order  to  do  away  with  the  necessity 
of  fighting  in  the  dark,  or  by  the  feeble  glare  of  torches,  Jus- 
tinian had  a  powerful  electric  search  light  placed  at  the 
inner  entrance  of  the  tunnel,  so  as  to  command  the  palisade. 
Indeed,  the  Demarch,  having  unlimited  money  at  his  dis- 
posal, had  the  latest  European  inventions  obtainable  for  the 
defence  of  his  island,  and  much  regretted  that  he  had  been 
unable  to  obtain  the  new  magazine  rifle  which  had  lately 
been  served  out  to  the  English  army.  This  rifle  holds  six 
cartridges,  which  can  be  fired  one  after  the  other,  and,  unlike 
the  revolver,  has  no  barrel,  as  the  cartridges  lie  in  a  line  one 
at  the  back  of  the  other ;  but  as  Justinian  was  not  able  to 
obtain  this  efficient  weapon,  he  was  obliged  to  put  up  with 
the  Martini-Henry  rifle,  which  was  a  deadly  enough  weapon 
in  the  hands  of  his  excellent  marksmen. 

The  western  pass  was  a  narrow,  winding  gorge,  created  by 
some  primeval  convulsion  of  the  volcano,  which  severed  the 
low  semicircle  of  mountains  in  a  deep  cleft ;  and  at  the  inner 
entrance  was  commanded  by  two  old  brass  cannon  which  the 
Demarch  had  found  in  some  dismantled  tower  of  the  Vene- 
tians. These  cannon,  however,  in  spite  of  their  age,  were 
in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  and  could  do  a  deal  of 
damage  when  sweeping  down  the  narrow  pass.  The  middle 
of  the  cleft  was  fortified  by  a  strong  wooden  palisade,  and 
at  the  outer  entrance  was  another  of  similar  construction; 
thus  the  defenders,  intrenched  behind  these  barriers,  held 
the  invading  enemy  at  considerable  disadvantage.  Justinian 
had  also  another  search  light  sweeping  the  pass  in  the  event 
of  a  night  surprise,  and  thus,  the  two  entrances  being  so 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  339 

well  defended  by  nature  and  art,  it  was  feasible  enough  that 
the  little  band  could  keep  at  bay  even  a  larger  host  than 
that  which  Alcibiades  was  bringing  against  them. 

Even  if  the  beleaguerment  of  the  island  lasted  for  months, 
there  was  no  danger  as  long  as  the  pass  and  tunnel  were 
defended,  for  there  was  plenty  of  provision,  and  all  food 
eaten  by  the  inhabitants  was  grown  on  the  fertile  sides  of 
the  crater ;  so  it  was  likely  Alcibiades,  despairing  of  taking 
the  place  bv  storm,  would  retire  his  men  after  a  few  weeks. 
The  Demarch  was  perfectly  satisfied  that  he  occupied  too 
strong  a  position  to  be  dislodged,  and  the  only  chance  of 
capture  lay  in  inside  treachery,  or  the  enemy  scaling  the 
peaks  and  coming  down  unawares  in  the  rear.  Neither  of 
these  things  was  likely  to  happen,  as  there  was  no  chance 
of  treachery  from  the  Melnosians,  who  were  all  devoted  to 
Justinian ;  and  the  enemy,  consisting  of  all  the  scum  of  the 
Levant,  had  neither  the  engineering  skill  nor  the  courage  to 
climb  over  the  forbidding-looking  mountains  which  enclosed 
the  central  crater  of  the  volcano. 

During  the  two  weeks  the  watchmen  on  the  heights  kept 
a  constant  watch  for  the  foe,  and  Justinian,  assisted  by 
Maurice  and  Dick,  looked  after  the  military  preparations 
with  right  good  will.  The  rifles  were  duly  served  out  to 
the  men,  who  practised  shooting  daily,  also  swords  and  cut- 
lasses, in  the  use  of  which  Dick  instructed  them  ;  yet  all 
this  time  they  went  on  with  their  work,  and  only  after  it 
was  over  did  they  attend  to  their  military  duties.  There 
was  no  fear  of  the  ammunition  giving  out,  as  the  Demarch 
had  constructed  a  magazine  in  a  lonely  part  of  the  valley, 
which  was  filled  with  cartridges,  cannon  balls,  and  plenty  of 
powder. 

All  this  elaborate  military  preparation  to  defend  a  rocky 
little  island  may  sound  childish  enough  in  Western  ears 
accustomed  to  the  gigantic  military  powers  of  Europe ;  but 
the  coming  assault  on  Melnos  was  no  holiday  battle,  but 
would  probably  involve  a  good  deal  of  hard  fighting,  as  the 
desperadoes  of  Alcibiades  were  by  no  means  to  be  despised. 
They  thought  that  Melnos  was  full  of  treasure,  quite  un- 
aware of  Justinian's  wise  precaution  of  sending  the  public 
revenue  of  Melnos  to  London  to  be  in  safety  ;  and,  lusting 
for  gold,  they  were  ready  to  fight  like  demons  in  order  to 
plunder  the  island.  The  defenders,  on  their  side,  valued 
their  homes,  wives,  and  children  too  much  to  permit  a  loose 
band  of  absolute  wretches  to  gain  entrance  into  their  strong- 


340  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

hold ;  so  it  seemed  as  though  the  fight  on  both  sides  would 
be  fought  with  dogged  determination  to  the  bitter  end. 

^laurice  and  Dick  were  the  principal  assistants  of  Jus- 
tinian at  this  juncture,  as  Crispin  knew  nothing  about  mil- 
itary matters,  and  the  testy  old  De march  said  he  was  more 
trouble  than  use ;  so  he  wandered  about  a  good  deal  with 
Helena,  quite  the  idler  of  the  community.  In  spite  of  this, 
however,  all  knew  that  Crispin  was  as  keen  as  any  one  on 
figliting,  and  would  defend  the  island  with  the  best  of  them; 
besides  which,  being  the  minstrel  of  the  party,  he  wrote 
war-songs  after  the  mode  of  Tyrtseus,  to  fire  the  Melnosiaus 
with  martial  enthusiasm. 

The  old  fighting  blood  of  the  Roylands  showed  itself 
plainly  in  the  Demarch  and  his  nephew,  for  they  both  looked 
anxiously  forward  to  the  anticipated  invasion,  and  would 
have  been  seriously  annoyed  had  it  not  come  off.  Justinian 
himself  quite  renewed  his  youth  at  the  idea  of  once  more 
smelling  powder,  and  his  fiery  energy,  overriding  all  obsta- 
cles, occupying  itself  ceaselessly  with  all  military  matters,  at 
times  even  tired  out  his  muscular  nephew.  Yet  Maurice 
worked  bravely,  and  showed  himself  to  be  made  of  the 
stuff  required  for  leaders  of  men,  and,  despite  his  ignorance 
of  matters  military,  made  several  valuable  suggestions  from 
a  common-sense  point  of  view,  which  were  greatly  approved 
of  by  the  De  march. 

"  Egad,  Maurice ! "  he  said,  grimly  surveying  his  nephew, 
"if  I  had  only  had  you  instead  of  Caliphronas,  I  would 
have  made  a  man  of  you." 

"  Meaning  I'm  not  a  man  now,''  said  Maurice,  rather 
nettled. 

'•  By  no  means.  You've  got  the  Eoylands  spirit,  my  boy, 
and  will  fight  like  the  devil  himself  when  needs  be ;  but 
when  I  think  of  all  those  years  of  idleness  in  England,  it 
makes  me  angry.  Such  a  loss  of  good  material  which  could 
be  made  use  of,  and  I  dare  say  there  are  hundreds  of  fellows 
of  your  physique  and  stamina,  who  write  their  lives  away 
in  offices  instead  of  going  in  for  an  adventurous  career  and 
dying  rich.  What  I  mean  is  that  you  are  made  of  the  same 
stuff  as  I,  and  had  I  possessed  you  as  my  right  hand  when 
I  started  this  scheme,  egad,  I'd  have  had  a  kingdom  instead 
of  an  island  !  " 

"  You  forget,  I  was  not  born  forty  years  ago." 

"  No  more  you  were  —  more's  the  pity  !  Those  were  glori- 
ous times,  and,  in  spite  of  my  years,  I  do  not  regret  having 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  341 

been  born  early  in  the  century.  Life  is  too  tame  now,  all 
bread  and  butter  and  explosive  machines.  Give  me  the 
good  old  days  of  hand-to-haiul  combat,  lots  of  adventure, 
rows  galore,  and  the  devil  take  the  hindmost." 

"  I  never  met  such  a  man  as  you,  uncle." 

"Then  you  never  met  yourself.  I  don't  mean  your  doppel- 
ganger,  but  your  inner  self,  for  you  are  exactly  what  I  was, 
though  how  the  deuce  your  father  ever  came  to  have  such  a 
son,  I  do  not  know.  He  was  as  mild  as  milk,  my  brother 
Austin." 

"  Was  he  ?  "  said  Maurice  grimly,  thinking  of  the  many 
family  rows  that  had  taken  place. 

'•  Oh,  I  doirt  deny  he  had  a  spice  of  the  Roylands  temper, 
but  as  to  ambition  and  enterprise,  he  might  as  well  have 
been  born  a  carrot.  Why,  h<  nearly  ruined  you,  my  boy, 
with  neglecting  to  put  you  on  the  right  track  —  no  wonder 
you  got  melancholia  and  all  that  rubbish.  You  are  a  worker, 
not  a  dreamer." 

"  I  have  brains,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  so  has  Crispin  ;  but  he  uses  his  brains  in  the 
right  way,  you  don't.  Crispin  is  born  to  sit  down  and  tinkle 
a  lute,  you  are  born  to  handle  a  sword  and  lead  an  exciting 
career.     Why  didn't  you  go  into  the  army  ?  " 

"  My  father  wouldn't  let  me." 

"  Of  course  ! "  said  Justinian,  with  a  snort  of  disdain  ; 
"  he  wanted  to  make  you  a  mollycoddle  like  himself.  I 
wonder  you  did  not  go  out  of  your  mind  in  that  smoky  Lon- 
don, chipping  away  at  marble  and  cutting  it  out.  Why,  you 
have  been  here  only  a  couple  of  months,  and  already  you 
are  in  your  right  mind.  Go  back  to  England  indeed!  — 
you  are  a  fool  if  you  do.  Like  myself,  you  are  born  to  be 
a  ruler,  not  a  unit  in  English  civilization.  I'm  glad  I  got 
you  to  myself  before  it  was  too  late." 

"  Well,  if  my  career  has  begun  late,  I  am  at  least  young, 
and  have  a  long  life  before  me." 

"  Yes  ;  I  envy  you  that,  Maurice.  Look  at  me  !  youthful 
in  spirit,  old  in  years.  I  shall  die  in  the  prime  of  my  spir- 
itual strength,  just  because  my  wretched  body  is  of  an 
inferior  quality  to  my  soul." 

"  Still  you  are  good  for  a  few  years  yet.  And,  uncle, 
don't  you  think  it  would  be  wise  of  you  not  to  expose  your- 
self in  battle  ?  " 

"  What ! "  roared  the  old  Demarch  in  a  voice  of  thunder  ; 
"  stay  in   the   background !     Never  while   I  can   handle  a 


342  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

sword.  I'm  not  going  to  let  every  one  else  have  the  fun, 
and  leave  myself  out  of  it.  Why,  this  coming  war  in  a  tea- 
cup is  the  first  bit  of  amusement  I  liave  had  for  years,  aud 
yet  you  grudge  it  to  me." 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  be  killed,  uncle." 

"  Oh,  I'll  look  after  myself,  never  you  be  afraid  I  I  won't 
live  any  the  longer  for  wrapping  myself  up  in  cotton  wool, 
and  if  I  die,  why,  like  Tennyson's  farmer,  I  die,  but  Til 
have  one  stirring  light  before  I  give  up  the  ghost." 

"■  You  have  the  Baresark  fury  in  you,  uncle." 

"An  inheritance  from  our  Norman  ancestors,  my  boy. 
You  are  more  of  courtly  old  Sir  Guy  on,  who  went  to  the 
Crusades,  but  I  resemble  Jarl  Hagon,  who  came  sailing  to 
:Normandy  with  Eollo.  Indeed,  if  the  theory  of  transmi- 
gration be  true,  I  believe  the  spirit  of  that  old  Norse  savage 
is  incarnate  in  my  body.  I  am  born  too  late  !  I  am  an 
anachronism  in  this  dull,  peaceful  century,  all  gas  and 
steam  engines.  I  ought  to  have  fought  with  Drake  and 
Frobisher.  However,  I  have  done  my  best  to  make  my  sur- 
roundings agree  with  my  nature,  and  the  result  is  — 
Melnos." 

"  Which  is  the  result,  not  of  war,  but  of  peace  !  " 

"  Eh  !  —  oh,  I  daresay  —  it  is  a  toy  with  which  I  can 
amuse  myself ;  but  you  forget  that  before  I  colonized  Mel- 
nos, I  had  battled  all  over  the  world,  and  thus  expended  a 
good  deal  of  my  Baresark  fit." 

"  And  now  it  comes  again  !  " 

"  The  last  upleaping  of  the  flame,  my  boy,"  said  Justinian 
sadly  ;  "  and  then  death.  But  there,  I  talk  so  much  about 
myself,  that  you  must  think  me  egotistical.  What  about 
that  electric  light  I  wish  to  tr}^  ?  " 

"  Alexandros  and  Gurt  are  fitting  it  up  on  the  platform." 

"  Good  !  but  say  Gurt  and  Alexandres  in  future.  An  Eng- 
lishman goes  before  every  one  else." 

"  How  patriotic  you  are,  uncle  !  Yet  you  have  forsaken 
England." 

'•  England  was  an  unjust  stepmother  to  me,  but  absence 
makes  the  heart  grow  fonder,  and,  in  spite  of  my  residence 
here,  I  have  as  patriotic  a  spirit  as  any  of  your  jingoists, 
who  shout  War  !  war  !  war  !  on  the  least  provocation.  Come, 
let  us  go  and  look  at  this  search  light  on  the  terrace." 

Justinian,  during  the  last  few  years,  had  dabbled  con- 
siderably in  electric  matters,  and  had  sent  Alexandres  to 
England  in  order  to  learn  all  about  the  science.     Alexandres, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  343 

keen-witted  in  all  things,  had  soon  picked  up  all  that  was 
necessary,  and  was  quite  an  accomplished  electrician  ;  so 
when  he  returned  to  Melnos,  he  brought  with  him,  by  Jus- 
tinian's instructions,  all  machines  necessary  for  the  produc- 
tion of  the  light.  The  powerful  engine  for  working  the 
dynamo  was  placed  at  the  back  of  the  Acropolis,  under  the 
eye  of  the  Demarch  himself,  and  from  this  centre  the  wires 
were  laid  to  the  tunnel  and  the  western  pass.  Thus  the 
machine,  being,  so  to  speak,  in  the  heart  of  the  island,  was 
safe  from  being  captured  by  enemies,  and  the  lighting  of 
both  places  was  quite  under  the  control  of  Alexaudros.  The 
Demarch  had  also  a  third  apparatus  rigged  up  on  the  terrace, 
in  order  to  make  a  trial  of  the  power  of  the  light,  which  was 
to  be  tried  that  night ;  for  Justinian  wished  everything  to 
be  in  thorough  working  order  against  the  arrival  of  Alci- 
biades  and  his  army. 

While  they  were  examining  the  electric  apparatus  on  the 
terrace  in  front  of  the  Acropolis,  Helena,  in  company  with 
Dick  and  Zoe,  came  to  them  in  a  great  state  of  excitement. 

"  Papa,  give  me  the  key  of  the  tunnel,  for  Crispin  says  the 
boat  has  arrived  from  Syra  with  letters  !  " 

"  By  Jove,  that's  good  news  !  "  cried  Maurice,  as  the  De- 
march  handed  the  key  to  his  daughter.  "  ISTow  we  will  know 
all  about  tlie  new  yacht,  uncle,  and  if  Melnos  is  taken,  we 
can  go  to  Syra,  and  escape  on  board  of  her." 

"  Melnos  won't  be  taken,"  said  Justinian  with  a  frown. 
"  I  am  quite  astonished  at  your  suggesting  such  a  thing, 
Maurice.     Besides,  the  yacht  is  going  to  Athens." 

"  Yes,  but  Crispin  sent  a  letter  to  the  telegraph  office 
there,  telling  them  to  wire  to  the  agents  that  the  yacht  was 
to  stop  at  Syra." 

"■  Humph  !  well,  that  is  not  bad  news.  As  you  say,  it  is 
as  well  to  be  prepared  for  emergencies.  Here  is  the  key, 
Helena.     Where  is  Crispin  ?  " 

"  Waiting  at  the  tunnel  entrance  !  "  replied  Helena 
brightly,  and  went  away  with  the  key  of  the  island,  guarded 
by  Dick  and  Zoe. 

There  was  every  sign  that  these  two  were  following  in  the 
footsteps  of  their  master  and  mistress,  for  as  Zoe,  tutored  by 
Helena,  could  speak  English  very  well,  there  was  no  obstacle 
to  Dick's  wooing.  The  bos'n  was  a  handsome  young  fellow, 
with  a  masterful  manner  about  him,  which  tlie  Greek  maiden 
found  very  pleasant,  so  she  was  not  at  all  indisposed  to  yield 
to  his  solicitations,  and  become  Mrs.  Dick,  the  more  so,  as 


344  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

she  thought  this  marriage  would  not  part  her  from  Helena, 
whom  she  loved  dearly.  Her  early  flame,  Gurt,  had  quite 
vacated  the  field  in  favor  of  his  handsome  young  rival,  and 
now  took  a  paternal  interest  in  the  match.  As  yet,  Zoe, 
with  innate  coquetry,  had  not  given  Dick  a  direct  answer, 
but  there  was  little  doubt,  in  the  end,  she  would  accept  ;:his 
assiduous  lover  who  worshipped  her  very  shadow. 

While  the  three  had  departed  to  take  Crispin  the  key  of 
the  gate,  Justinian  continued  examining  the  electric  appa- 
ratus, and  questioning  Alexandros  concerning  the  mode  of 
working. 

"  The  moon  is  not  up  till  late  to-night,"  said  the  Demarch, 
looking  at  the  sky,  "  so  in  the  darkness  we  will  be  able  to 
test  it  splendidly.  Are  the  lights  at  the  tunnel  and  the 
western  pass  in  order,  Alexandros  ?  "  he  added  in  Greek. 

'•Yes,  Kyrion.     I  attended  to  them  to-day,  myself." 

"And  the  engine  ?  " 

"Works  perfectly,  Kyrion," 

"  Capital ! "  said  Justinian  in  English,  turning  to  Maurice. 
"  I  think  our  electric  powers  will  rather  startle  Alcibiades  ! " 

"  No  doubt ;  but  do  you  know,  uncle,  I  think  it  is  a  pity 
you  did  not  place  a  search  light  on  one  of  those  peaks,  so  as 
to  sweep  the  ocean,  and  thus  reveal  their  approach  if  they 
try  to  steal  in  to  the  beach  under  the  cover  of  darkness." 

"  True,  true  !  "  said  the  Demarch  thoughtfully,  nursing  his 
chin,  "we  will  think  of  that,  but  meanwhile  try  this  light 
to-night.  As  to  the  watchmen  on  the  peaks,  ]\Iaurice,  you 
know  there  are  also  two  on  the  beach,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  island,  so  if  they  see  Alcibiades'  approach  first,  they  will 
light  their  fires  to  signal  to  the  peaks,  and  those  above  will 
fire  theirs  to  warn  us.  It  is  easier  to  see  from  the  beach 
than  from  above,  where  everything  looks  flat.  Besides,  the 
nights  are  so  still,  that  the  sound  of  oars  can  easily  be  heard 
a  long  way  off,  especially  by  men  trained  to  hear  like  my 
Greeks." 

"But  suppose  Alcibiades  uses  no  oars  ?" 

"Oh,  well,  in  any  case  we  will  be  warned  in  time.  But  in 
case  of  a  night  attack,  the  men  can  muster  rapidly,  I  sup- 
pose ?  " 

"  In  a  few  minutes." 

"And  the  guard?" 

"  There  is  a  strong  one  in  the  tunnel,  under  the  command 
of  Gurt,  and  another  in  the  pass,  commanded  by  Temis- 
tocles." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  345 

"Good!  With  such  precautions  we  cannot  very  well  be 
surprised.     But  here  is  Crispin." 

"  In  a  state  of  great  excitement,  too/'  said  Maurice,  laugh- 
ing.    "  He  has  got  a  satisfactory  answer  to  his  letter." 

''  It/s  all  right ! "  called  out  Crispin,  mounting  the  steps, 
waving  an  open  letter  in  his  hand ;  "  the  yacht  has  left  Eng- 
land for  Syra,  with  Mrs.  Dengelton,  the  Rector,  and  Eunice  !" 

"  Is  there  a  letter  for  me  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  nodding  his 
satisfaction  at  this  intelligence. 

''  Yes,  one  from  the  Rector.  See  if  it  encloses  one  from 
Eunice  to  me." 

Maurice  tore  open  the  letter  of  his  old  tutor,  and  out 
dropped  an  envelope,  directed  to  "Crispin,"  in  dainty  fem- 
inine handwriting,  of  which  the  poet  at  once  took  greedy 
possession.  On  the  balustrade  of  the  terrace,  Maurice  sat 
down  to  read  his  letter,  and  Crispin,  after  glancing  at 
Eunice's  private  note,  rattled  on  to  Justinian  about  the 
contents  of  his  own  correspondence,  which  he  had  read  on 
the  way  hither  from  the  tunnel. 

"  The  agents  got  my  letter  all  right,  sir,"  he  said  gayly, 
"  and  had  no  difficulty  in  securing  the  yacht  I  wanted,  which, 
was  still  in  the  market.     She  left  England  a  week  ago." 

'-  For  Athens  ?  " 

"  Why,  no.  As  there  was  danger  of  a  row,  I  thought  it 
best  she  should  be  near  at  hand,  so  wired  to  the  agents  that 
she  was  to  stop  at  Syra,  where  she  ought  to  arrive  shortly." 

"  She  left  Southampton  after  your  letters,  I  presume  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  day  or  so  after.  Of  course  they  came  overland  to 
Brindisi,  which  gained  them  five  days,  or  thereabouts,  and 
then  caught  the  boat  to  Syra,  and  came  straight  on  here  with 
Georgios.     The  Eunice  !  " 

"  Oh,  is  that  the  name  of  the  yacht  ? "  cried  Helena 
roguishly. 

"  Yes  ;  the  old  Eunice  is  under  water,  but  I  call  the  new 
boat  by  the  old  name." 

"  So  The  Eunice  is  carrying  her  namesake  ?  " 

'•  Exactly.  Well,  The  Eunice  will  run  down  to  Syra  in 
about  twelve  days ;  a  week  has  already  gone  by,  so  we  may 
expect  her  there  in  a  few  days." 

"  When  she  arrives,  what  do  you  propose  to  do  ?  " 

"  With  your  permission,  go  over  to  Syra  and  bring  her 
here." 

"  By  all  means,  if  we  are  not  blockaded  in  the  mean  time ; 
but  if  we  are,  you  will  have  to  stay  here." 


346  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"And  The  Eunice  at  Syra  !"  rejoined  Crispin  in  a  vexed 
tone.  "  Well,  perhaps  it  will  be  for  the  best,  as  your  sister, 
niece,  and  Mr.  Carriston  are  on  board,  and  won't  care  about 
being  mixed  up  in  a  battle." 

"  My  sister  !  "  repeated  Justinian  thoughtfully  ;  "  she  was 
born  after  I  left  England,  and  I  only  caught  a  glimpse  of 
her  when  I  went  back,  so  she  is  quite  a  stranger  to  me.  Is 
she  a  —  a  pleasant  sort  of  person  ?  " 

"Well,  she  talks  a  good  deal,"  said  Crispin,  with  some 
hesitation. 

"  Then  I  am  afraid  she  will  tire  me  dreadfully,"  said  the 
Demarch  dryly,  "  for  I  do  not  like  chatterboxes.  However, 
Helena  will  be  glad  to  see  her  aunt.     Will  you  not,  child  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  papa.  I  will  be  glad  to  see  all  my  relations 
if  they  are  as  charming  as  Cousin  Maurice." 

"Eunice  is  an  angel." 

"Of  course,"  said  Helena  mockingly;  "that  is  because 
you  love  her.  Why,  Maurice  says  the  same  thing  about 
me." 

"  What  does  Maurice  say  ?  "  asked  that  gentleman,  look- 
ing up  from  his  letter. 

"  That  I  am  the  dearest  girl  in  the  world,"  laughed 
Helena,  going  up  to  him. 

"I  will  find  that  out  when  your  milliner's  bills  come  in." 

"  Milliner  !  "  said  the  child  of  Nature  ;  "  what  is  a  milli- 
ner?" 

They  all  laughed  at  this,  particularly  Justinian,  who 
pinched  his  daughter's  ear  gently. 

"  Ah,  a  milliner  is  a  very  important  person,  my  child. 
She  makes  gowns." 

"  Like  this  white  one  of  mine  ?  " 

"  No,  more's  the  pity,"  said  Crispin,  with  a  laughing 
glance  at  the  simple  white  garment ;  "  if  all  gowns  were  of 
that  style,  the  bills  would  not  be  so  large,  and  husbands 
would  frown  less.  Well,  Maurice,  and  what  says  the 
Rector  ?  " 

"  He  declines  to  commit  himself  to  an  opinion  until  he 
sees  Melnos  with  his  own  eyes,"  said  Maurice,  putting  the 
letter  in  his  pocket,  "  and  is  coming  out  especially  to  see  the 
new  Hellas.     There,  uncle,  is  that  not  a  compliment  ?  " 

"  I  will  be  glad  to  see  Mr.  Carriston,"  observed  Justinian 
a  little  stiffly,  as  JVIaurice  thought.  "Crispin,  did  Georgios 
see  anything  of  Alcibiades  ?  " 

"No,  nothing." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  347 

"  Or  hear  anything  ?  " 

"  Not  a  word." 

"  They  must  be  keeping  all  their  preparations  very  quiet," 
muttered  the  Demarch  to  himself  as  he  went  inside  ;  "  but, 
for  all  that,  I  believe  an  attack  will  take  place  within  the 
week." 

The  party  on  the  terrace  broke  up  after  his  withdrawal, 
leaving  Alexandros  still  busy  at  his  electric  apparatus,  which 
was  in  complete  order  by  night-time.  After  a  merry  supper, 
every  one  came  out  again  on  to  the  terrace  to  make  experi- 
ments with  the  light,  and  Alexandros  went  away  to  look  after 
his  dynamo. 

Such  a  still  night  as  it  was,  with  not  a  breath  of  air  to 
cool  the  hot  atmosphere,  and  the  sky  in  the  shimmering  heat 
seemed  closer  to  the  earth  than  usual.  No  moon  was  yet  in 
the  heavens,  but  the  dark  blue  vault  was  bright  with  innu- 
merable stars,  large  and  mellow,  like  tropical  constellations. 
The  valley  below  was  in  complete  shadow,  not  the  glimmer 
of  a  white-walled  house  being  visible,  and  the  sides  of  the 
gigantic  cup  which  formed  the  crater  of  the  volcano  were 
veiled  in  diaphanous  darkness.  So  intensely  quiet  was 
everything,  that  even  the  nightingales  were  silent,  and  there 
seemed  something  awesome  in  this  breathless  stillness  of 
Nature,  as  though  the  whole  earth  were  dead,  and  only  the 
handful  of  people  assembled  there  alive. 

"I  don't  like  this  sultry  night,"  whispered  Helena  to 
Maurice  uneasily,  as  he  stood  by  one  of  the  pillars  with  his 
arm  round  her  waist.  "  I  hope  nothing  is  wrong  with  the 
volcano ! " 

"  What !  after  thousands  of  years'  quiet  ?  "  laughed  Mau- 
rice gently.  "  My  dear  child,  the  volcano  is  as  extinct  as  the 
dodo." 

"1  don't  know  what  a  dodo  is,"  replied  Helena,  panting; 
"but  the  whole  place  seems  so  unnaturally  still  that  it  gives 
me  the  idea  of  some  coming  trouble." 

"  Perhaps  Alcibiades  !  " 

"  Oh,  we  can  fight  against  him,  but  we  can't  fight  against 
an  eruption." 

"  Who  is  talking  about  an  eruption  ?  "  said  Justinian,  turn- 
ing round  from  the  electric  apparatus  he  was  examining. 

"  Helena.     She  is  afraid  there  will  be  one  soon." 

"Nonsense,  nonsense  !  "  said  the  old  man  testily,  yet  with 
an  anxious  frown  on  his  face.  "  If  there  was  danger  of  an 
upheaval,  we  would  be  warned  by  the  hot  springs,  but  they 


348  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

arc  just  bubbling  as  usual.  Besides,  Georgois  tells  me  there 
is  an  eruption  at  Santorin,  so  with  that  vent  for  the  volcanic 
forces  we  are  quite  safe.  Why,  I  have  lived  here  for  forty 
years  in  safety,  and  the  crater  has  been  extinct  for  thou- 
sands of  years,  so  we  need  not  be  afraid  of  anything  going 
wrong  now." 

Thus  pacified,  Helena,  in  common  with  the  rest,  turned 
her  attention  to  the  electric  light,  which  at  this  moment 
flashed  out  from  the  carbon  points  in  terrible  splendor. 
Alexandros  began  to  move  it  about,  and  like  the  flaming 
sword  of  St.  Michael,  or  the  tail  of  a  comet,  it  swept  in  a 
tremendous  arc  across  the  dark  sky.  Turned  down  on  the 
valley,  it  revealed  everything  as  if  it  were  day,  the  lake, 
the  houses,  the  trees,  the  streets  —  all  sprang  out  of  the 
darkness  with  the  minuteness  of  a  photograph.  Then  the 
intolerable  brilliance  began  to  move  slowly  round  the  sides 
of  the  crater,  the  black  pine  forests,  the  arid  rocks,  and  then 
the  rugged  peaks,  white  with  chill  snows.  But,  lo !  as  it 
travelled  eastward  along  the  jagged  heights,  on  one  burned 
a  huge  red  star. 

"  The  watchfire  !  "  cried  IVIaurice,  springing  to  his  feet. 

"Turn  off  the  light!"  commanded  Justinian  hastily. 

Alexandros  did  so,  and  there  on  the  cold  peak,  amid  the 
luminous  twilight,  flamed  the  bonfire  of  the  watch  like  a 
baneful  star,  telling  of  destruction,  war,  and  death. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  349 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    TROGLODYTES. 

I  hear  tlie  noise  of  battle  tumultuous! 

It  is  not  on  the  earth,  nor  do  spectral  hosts  contend  in  the  cloudy  sky ; 

Under  my  feet  it  is  raging,  in  the  heart  of  the  globe  skirmish  the  struggling 

armies. 
The  cries  of  horror,  the  clash  of  weapons,  the  sharp  crack  of  the  deadly 

rifie. 
Strike  dully  on  my  ear,  as  though  the  crust  of  the  earth  intervened  between 

them  fighting,  and  I  listening. 
Yes,  the  battle  is  subterranean!     Do  the  gnomes  assault  one  another 
Over  some  new  vein  of  gold  but  lately  discovered  ? 
Or  do  the  dead,  not  rising  from  stone-sealed  sepulchres, 
Renew  those  quarrels  below,  which  on  earth  ended  their  existence? 
I  know  not  indeed  whether  it  be  the  dead  or  the  gnomes, 
But  I  hear  the  noise  of  battle  tumultuous ! 

There  was  no  doubt  that  a  night  attack  was  intended,  and 
that  Alcibiades,  hoping  to  take  Justinian  by  surprise,  trusted 
he  would  be  able  to  break  in  through  the  tunnel  before  his 
secret  arrival  was  discovered.  Unfortunately  for  himself, 
he  did  not  know  the  military  alertness  of  the  Demarch,  who, 
Avarned  by  the  watchtires,  marshalled  his  men  with  the  great- 
est rapidity,  and  in  the  space  of  half  an  hour  every  man  on 
the  island  was  drawn  up,  under  arms,  in  the  space  before  the 
Acropolis.  The  powerful  electric  light  flooded  the  whole 
crater,  so  that  the  little  army  manoeuvred  as  though  it  were 
day,  and  in  profound  silence  every  man  took  his  place  in  the 
ranks,  ready  to  march  to  the  front. 

Justinian  held  a  hurried  council  of  war  with  Maurice, 
Crispin,  and  Dick,  as  to  the  disposal  of  the  troops,  for  the 
question  was  whether  Alcibiades  would  concentrate  his  forces 
in  the  tunnel,  and  make  one  bold  dash  for  the  island,  or, 
dividing  his  men  into  two  bodies,  attack  both  entrances  simul- 
taneously. Messengers  had  now  arrived  from  the  watchmen 
on  the  heights  and  on  the  beach,  from  whose  report  it  ap- 
peared that  the  advancing  enemy  were  all  making  in  a  body 
lor  the  eastern  side  of  the  island,  therefore  the  Demarch 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  for  the  present  only  the  tunnel 
was  threatened  by  the  invader.  However,  to  obviate  any 
chance  of  the  western  pass  being  taken  by  surprise,  about 
thirty  men,  under  the  command  of  Crispin  and  Dick,  marched 
in  that  direction,  and  the  remaining  eighty-six,  with  Justin- 


350  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

ian  and  his  nephew  as  leaders,  took  up  their  station  inside 
the  tunnel  palisade.  Alexandros,  of  course,  remained  behind 
at  the  Acropolis  to  attend  to  the  working  of  the  electric 
lights,  which  were  burning  witli  full  power  at  the  western 
pass  and  in  the  tunnel,  the  middle  apparatus  being  turned  off 
after  the  departure  of  the  men,  so  as  to  increase  the  brilliance 
of  the  otlier  two.  Temistocles  was  employed  as  a  messenger 
between  the  two  forces,  so  as  to  keep  the  four  leaders  thor- 
oughly cognizant  of  what  occurred  either  on  the  western  or 
eastern  side  of  the  island. 

The  watchmen  on  the  beach  had  waited  until  the  boats  of 
Alcibiades  were  near  shore,  then  rapidly  fled  up  the  tunnel 
to  the  palisade,  through  the  door  of  which  they  were  admit- 
ted by  Justinian,  who  listened  to  their  excited  report  con- 
cerning the  number  of  the  enemy  with  the  greatest  calmness. 
Indeed,  the  Koylands  capability  for  command  showed  itself 
in  both  the  Demarch  and  his  nephew,  for  the  more  perilous 
did  the  situation  become,  the  cooler  they  were,  and  never  for 
a  moment  lost  their  heads  in  giving  orders  to  their  men. 
This  self-control  had  a  wonderful  effect  on  the  nerve  of  the 
Melnosians,  who,  thoroughly  efficient  as  regards  drill,  and 
absolutely  blind  in  their  implicit  obedience  to  their  leaders, 
carried  out  all  commands  with  the  utmost  skill  and  prompti- 
tude. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel  burned  the  great  round  of 
the  electric  light,  like  a  full  moon,  illuminating  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  palisade  with  steady  splendor,  so  that  the 
defensive  operations  could  be  carried  out  to  the  minutest 
detail  without  the  slightest  difficulty.  Earthen  works  had 
been  built  half-way  up  the  wooden  structure  to  the  height  of 
a  man's  shoulders,  and  now  on  top  of  this  the  Melnosians 
laid  bags  of  sand  diagonally,  the  one  overlapping  the  other, 
to  either  side  of  the  tunnel,  with  interstices  between  them  at 
intervals  for  the  barrels  of  the  rifles.  All  this  was  arranged 
so  as  to  afford  those  inside  a  good  view  of  the  attack,  while 
protecting  them  in  a  great  measure  from  the  fire  of  the 
stormers.  The  electric  light  also  gained  them  a  considerable 
advantage,  as,  being  at  their  backs,  they  could  carry  on  their 
operations  with  ease,  while  it  dazzled  the  eyes  of  the  enemy, 
who  in  front  of  them  would  see  but  the  black  mass  of  the 
palisade,  and  at  intervals  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  defenders 
like  silhouettes  against  the  bright  glare,  which  would  have  a 
considerable  influence  on  the  fire  of  the  attacking  party. 

Both  Maurice  and  the  Demarch  were  armed  with  revolvers 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  351 

and  sabres,  while  the  sailors  had  their  cutlasses,  and  the  Mel- 
nosians  their  Martini-Henry  rilles  ;  thus,  what  with  these  and 
the  protecting  ])alisade,  everytliing  was  in  their  favor,  espe- 
cially as  the  steepness  of  the  ascent  hampered  the  enemy 
considerably  in  their  dash  to  carry  the  barrier  by  storm. 
Thus  intrenched,  they  waited  in  absolute  silence,  with  calm 
courage,  for  the  onslaught,  and  shortly  heard  the  tramp  of 
approaching  feet,  the  ring  of  guns  and  swords,  and  the  excla- 
mations of  astonishment  uttered  by  the  invaders,  when  the 
powerful  rays  of  the  electric  light  flashed  on  their  advancing 
mass. 

Alcibiades  might  be  a  good  commander,  but  he  was  a  con- 
foundedly bad  drill-sergeant,  for  his  men  came  up  the  stair- 
case in  a  singularly  disorderly  fashion,  rushing  forward 
pell-mell,  as  though  they  anticipated  an  easy  victory.  How- 
ever, at  the  sight  of  the  electric  light,  and  the  barricade, 
from  which  protruded  the  deadly  barrels  of  the  rifles,  their 
impetus  received  a  decided  check,  and  the  foremost,  recoiling 
on  those  in  the  rear,  threw  the  whole  body  into  confusion. 
Hesitating  thus  for  a  second  in  bewilderment,  they  offered  a 
fair  mark  to  the  defenders,  who,  at  a  given  signal  by  Justin- 
ian, poured  a  heavy  fire  into  the  huddled  mass  of  human 
beings.  Some  fell  dead,  many  wounded,  and  the  yells  of  the 
discomfited  assailants  vibrated  under  the  vaulted  roof  of  the 
tunnel,  as  they  retired  in  disorder. 

Then  the  stentorian  voice  of  Alcibiades  was  heard  urging 
them  forward,  and  with  sudden  resolution  they  dashed  forward 
like  a  wave  on  a  rock,  only  to  retire  again  before  the  deadly 
volley  of  the  Melnosians.  The  ground  was  cumbered  with 
the  dead  and  dying,  while  the  air  was  so  thick  with  gun- 
powder smoke  that  it  hung  like  a  veil  between  the  contend- 
ing parties,  and  not  even  the  powerful  rays  of  the  electric 
light  could  break  through  the  opaque  cloud.  As  yet,  protected 
by  their  earthworks,  the  Melnosians  had  not  lost  one  man.  for 
the  bullets  of  the  enemy  passed  harmlessly  over  their  heads 
or  buried  themselves  in  the  sand  and  turf.  Justinian  ordered 
his  men  to  reserve  their  fire,  as  the  attacking  party  were  now 
retreating  for  the  third  time  in  confusion,  and  therefore, 
being  considerably  scattered,  did  not  offer  so  good  a  mark  as 
when  they  rushed  forward  in  a  dense  mass. 

Evidently  they  were  holding  a  consultation,  for  when  they 
again  assaulted  the  barricade,  one  party  dashed  forward 
under  a  heavy  fire,  with  hatchets  to  cut  away  the  timbers, 
while  the  others  remained  behind  and  kept  up  a  fusillade  at 


852  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

a  safe  distance.  In  order  to  avert  this  danger,  and  save  the 
palisade  from  being  cut  down,  the  marksmen  returned  the 
fire  of  the  rear  rank,  while,  using  the  bayonets  at  close 
quarters,  their  comrades  stabbed  the  stormers  whenever 
they  could  get  a  chance.  Notwithstanding  this  warm  recep- 
tion, the  assaulting  party  still  stuck  to  their  work,  and  amid 
the  infernal  din  of  yells  from  wounded  and  fighters,  could  be 
heard  the  steady  blows  of  the  hatchets,  the  sharp  crack  of  the 
guns,  and  the  ping,  ping,  ping  of  the  bullets  whizzing  through 
the  smoky  air.  At  last,  in  spite  of  their  valor,  the  stormers 
were  forced  to  retire,  but  not  without  doing  considerable 
damage,  for  they  had  cut  through  a  considerable  number  of 
the  barrier  posts,  so  that  the  palisade  was  now  in  a  some- 
what shaky  condition. 

"  Egad  !  they'll  have  this  down  in  no  time,  Maurice,"  said 
Justinian  to  his  nephew,  with  a  grim  smile,  ''and  then  it 
will  be  hand-to-hand  fighting." 

"  All  the  better  !  "  replied  Maurice,  coolly  examining  the 
edge  of  his  sword.  "I  fancy  they  will  find  it  hard  to  drive 
us  back  from  this  position.  Here  they  come  again.  The 
devil ! " 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  " 

'•  They  are  spoing  to  fire  the  barricade  !  that  is  Caliphronas' 
idea,  I'll  bet!" 

A  party  of  men  now  surged  forward,  bearing  huge  bundles 
of  brushwood,  smeared  with  tar  and  inflammable  oils,  which 
they  threw  at  the  foot  of  the  barrier,  and  ignited  without  a 
moment's  delay.  The  Melnosians,  adopting  their  former 
tactics,  shot  and  stabbed  with  right  good  will,  but  the  advan- 
tage was  with  the  enemy,  for,  in  the  space  of  a  few  minutes, 
the  wooden  poles  and  crossbars  of  the  barricade  were  in 
flames.  Against  this  new  peril  nothing  could  be  done,  as, 
not  anticipating  this  stratagem,  Justinian  had  not  provided 
himself  with  water ;  so  the  flames,  leaping  redly  out  of  the 
thick  smoke,  roared  upward  to  the  roof  of  the  tunnel,  while 
the  little  band,  some  with  bayonets  fixed,  others  with  guns 
loaded,  awaited  the  assault  which  would  follow  the  downfall 
of  the  protective  palisade. 

As  if  to  hasten  this  catastrophe,  the  enemy,  with  infinite 
labor,  dragged  a  small  cannon  up  the  steep  stairs,  and,  hav- 
ing placed  it  in  position,  fired  recklessly  into  the  centre  of 
the  blazing  mass,  with  the  hope  of  the  ball  cutting  a  lane 
through  the  Melnosians.  Luckily,  owing  to  the  irregularity 
of  the  ground,  they  were  unable  to  depress  the  muzzle  of  the 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  353 

gun  sufficiently,  and  the  shot  passed  innocuously  overhead, 
having  no  other  effect  than  to  bring  down  a  small  shower  of 
stones  from  the  roof  of  the  tunnel.  Justinian  was  rather 
dismayed  when  he  found  they  had  succeeded  in  bringing  up 
a  gun,  but  when  he  saw  the  effect  of  the  shot,  he  smiled 
contemptuously. 

••  That's  no  good,"  he  said  confidently  ;  "  they  can't  get  the 
muzzle  low  enough  to  be  effective." 

•'  Nevertheless,  if  the  roof  "  — 

The  end  of  his  sentence  was  lost  in  a  tremendous  explosion, 
which  nearly  stunned  them  all,  for,  in  their  eagerness  to  fire, 
Alcibiades'  men  had  overloaded  their  cannon,  with  the  result 
that  it  burst  at  the  application  of  the  light,  and  killed  five 
men. 

"  Glory  !  glory !  "  yelled  Gurt,  when  he  heard  the  row ; 
•'  they  can't  do  much  now,  d — n  them  !  " 

'•  No  ! "  cried  Maurice  rapidly ;  "  the  barricade  will  soon 
be  down,  and  it  will  be  a  hand-to-hand  fight.  If  they  bring 
up  another  gun,  we'll  take  it  by  storm." 

The  heat  by  this  time  was  something  intense,  owing  to 
the  near  neighborhood  of  the  fierce  flames,  while  the  thick 
white  smoke,  rolling  upward  in  clouds,  nearly  choked  them 
with  its  pungent  odor.  The  Melnosians  were  getting  the 
worst  of  it  in  this  case,  as  the  draught  blowing  upward  from 
the  sea  drove  the  eddying  wreaths  of  acrid  vapor  full  against 
their  faces,  while  the  enemy  was  quite  free  from  such 
annoyance.  Headed  by  Alcibiades  and  Caliphronas,  who, 
for  a  wonder,  had  pluck  enough  to  place  himself  in  front  of 
his  men,  they  awaited  with  impatience  the  fall  of  the  barri- 
cade, and,  quite  anticipating  that  the  Melnosians  would  be 
choked  by  the  pungent  smoke,  were  prepared  to  dash  for- 
ward and  carry  the  earthworks  by  storm  while  the  defenders 
were  yet  stupefied.  Justinian  saw  this  danger,  made  up  his 
mind,  and  acted  thereon  with  promptitude  and  decision. 

'^  Maurice,  we  must  make  a  sally,  and  get  into  the  clear 
air  beyond,  else  this  smoke  will  suffocate  us,  and  thus  give 
them  the  advantage." 

"Kiglit!"  replied  his  nephew,  recognizing  the  necessity 
for  immediate  action.  ''The  flames  are  now  pretty  low,  so 
let  us  dash  through  at  once  and  take  them  by  surprise.  I 
will  lead.     You  stay  here,  sir." 

"I'm  hanged  if  I  Avill !  " 

''You  must,  uncle,  so  as  to  help  me  if  I  need  it.  Tell  the 
men  to  follow  me,  as  I  am  not  well  enough  up  in  Greek." 


354  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

At  this  moment,  the  barricade  fell  down  with  a  crash,  amid 
a  sudden  shower  of  sparks  and  rolling  vapors.  They  could 
hear  the  triumphant  shouts  of  Alcibiades  at  the  achievement 
of  this  result,  and  ]\Iaurice  ground  his  teeth  with  anger,  as 
he  caught  the  taunting  tones  of  Caliphrouas'  voice,  rejoicing 
over  this  catastrophe. 

"You  wait  here  with  some  men,  uncle,  and  build  up  the 
earthwork  higher,  while  I  make  a  dash  with  a  handful,  and 
see  if  I  cannot  drive  them  down  the  staircase." 

This  suggestion  was  more  palatable  to  Justinian  than  the 
former  one,  as  it  gave  him  something  to  do,  so  he  hastily 
told  the  men  of  Maurice's  suggestion.  A  number  of  the 
Melnosians,  who  were  lying  on  the  ground  with  their  heads 
wrapped  in  their  cloaks  to  escape  the  stifling  smoke,  sprang 
up,  on  hearing  this,  with  a  joyous  shout ;  so,  hastily  selecting 
his  men,  Maurice  unsheathed  his  sword,  grasped  his  revolver, 
and  made  ready  for  a  dash.  Owing  to  the  fall  of  the  pali- 
sade, the  flames  were  now  very  low,  but  the  smoke  still 
rolled  upward  in  blinding  clouds,  thus  effectively  concealing 
their  movements  from  the  enemy. 

"  Good-by,  my  lad  !  God  bless  you  !  "  said  the  old  lion, 
grasping  his  nephew's  hand.  "  Drive  them  down  as  far  as 
you  can,  and,  while  you  keep  them  at  bay,  I  will  have  the 
barricade  built  up  again,  with  sand-bags  and  turf." 

Followed  by  Gurt  and  about  twenty  men,  Maurice  leaped 
up  on  the  earthwork,  and  dashed  downward  through  the 
smouldering  ruins  of  the  beams  with  a  fierce  cry.  In  a  mo- 
ment they  were  out  of  the  smoke  and  into  the  clear  atmos- 
phere, while  the  enemy,  thrown  into  confusion  by  their 
unexpected  sally,  recoiled  in  confusion.  Alcibiades,  however, 
seeing  the  smallness  of  the  party,  soon  rallied  them  with 
(uirses  and  prayers,  so  the  next  instant  Maurice  and  his  men 
were  in  the  thick  of  the  fight. 

It  was  now  a  hand-to-hand  struggle,  maintained  with  equal 
fierceness  on  either  side,  but,  fortunately,  the  narrowness  of 
the  tunnel  prevented  the  small  band  of  the  Melnosians  being 
overwhelmed  by  their  enemies,  while  the  fact  that  they  were 
on  the  higher  ground  gave  them  a  decided  advantage,  which 
made  up  somewhat  for  lack  of  numbers.  The  electric  light 
again  pierced  the  now  thin  veil  of  smoke,  so  that  they 
could  see  what  they  were  doing,  and  the  Melnosians  used 
their  cutlasses  with  deadly  effect,  while  those  who  had  bay- 
onets fixed  to  their  guns  stabbed  the  enemy  relentlessly,  as 
they  dashed  forward  again  and  again.     Gurt  kept  close  beside 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  355 

Maurice,  fighting  like  the  old  sea-dog  he  was,  and  got  a  nasty- 
stab  in  the  thigh,  which  brought  him  to  the  ground.  Alci- 
biades  saw  this,  and  sprang  forward  to  finish  the  unfortunate 
sailor,  when  Maurice,  having  cut  down  a  wiry  Greek,  who  was 
pressing  him  closely,  turned  just  in  time  to  see  Alcibiades 
lift  his  sword  for  the  blow.  As  quickly  as  possible,  he  raised 
his  revolver  to  firing  level,  and  broke  the  captain's  arm  near 
the  elbow,  causing  him  to  drop  his  weapon  with  a  yell  of 
pain. 

Hitherto  the  fighting  had  all  been  in  one  place,  as  neither 
party  would  give  way  an  inch  ;  but  now,  disturbed  by  the 
reverse  of  their  leader,  the  enemy  began  to  fall  slowly  back. 
Caliphronas  indeed  tried  to  rally  them,  but,  on  seeing  this, 
Maurice  sprang  forward  to  encounter  him,  clearing  a  space 
for  the  fight  by  whirling  his  sabre  round  and  round  his  head ; 
but  the  Greek,  seized  with  sudden  panic,  flung  himself  into 
the  centre  of  his  men,  so  that  Roylands'  efforts  to  reach  him 
were  futile. 

Maurice's  band  was  now  much  diminished,  and  he  had 
serious  thoughts  of  retreating  back  to  the  barricade,  which 
Justiniau  by  this  time  must  have  almost  rebuilt,  but  seeing 
that  the  advantage  was  now  on  his  side,  he  was  unwilling  to 
lose  it ;  so,  with  his  men  stretched  out  into  a  single  line  from 
side  to  side,  he  continued  advancing,  driving  the  enemy  step 
by  step  down  the  staircase.  Alcibiades,  who  was  a  brave 
man  in  spite  of  his  villany,  had  now  shifted  his  sword  to 
his  left  hand,  as  his  right  arm  hung  useless  at  his  side,  and 
with  many  prayers,  curses,  entreaties,  and  taunts,  strove  to 
rally  his  forces,  but  all  to  no  purpose,  for  slowly  but  surely 
they  retreated  before  that  devoted  little  band,  who,  with 
flashing  eyes  and  clinched  teeth,  pressed  them  steadily 
downward.  Gurt,  having  bound  up  his  thigh  with  a  piece 
torn  from  his  shirt,  was  again  by  Maurice's  side,  fighting 
with  a  dogged  determination,  in  spite  of  all  entreaties  to 
retreat  back  to  the  barricade. 

"Go  back,  Gurt!  go  back  and  tell  Justinian  to  send  more 
men." 

"  What !  and  leave  you  with  these  devils  ?  Not  if  I  know 
it,  sir.     Hurrah  !     England  for  ever  !  " 

"  But  you  are  wounded." 

'•'  Only  a  prod  in  the  thigh.  Look  out,  sir,  for  that  black 
wretch  !  " 

Maurice  sprang  aside,  just  in  time  to  avoid  a  slashing- 
down  blow,  and,  turning  on  his  foe,  made  a  dash  at  him  with 


356  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

his  sabre.  He  managed  to  run  him  through  the  left  shoul- 
der, but  the  Greek  like  lightning  cut  at  his  defenceless  head, 
and.  but  for  Gurt,  who  intervened  with  his  cutlass,  Maurice's 
career  would  have  been  ended.  As  it  was,  the  Greek's 
weapon  smashed  against  the  sailor's  sword,  and  before  he 
could  recover  himself  for  another  blow,  Maurice  had  slashed 
him  through  the  neck,  so  that  he  fell  dead  at  once. 

The  enemy  were  fighting  like  demons,  and,  the  electric 
light  having  been  shut  off  by  the  angle  of  the  tunnel,  the 
battle  was  raging  in  complete  darkness,  save  for  the  fitful 
glare  of  the  torches  held  by  Alcibiades'  men,  and  the  pale 
glimmer  of  daylight  forcing  itself  in  at  the  clitf  entrance 
of  the  tunnel.  As  long  as  ^Maurice  could  keep  his  enemies 
in  front,  and  his  line  steadily  advancing,  he  had  no  fear, 
while,  owing  to  the  confusion  of  the  retreat,  the  foe  kept 
fighting  the  one  with  the  other  in  the  semi-darkness.  Step 
by  step  they  fell  backward,  until  nearly  the  lowest  platform 
of  the  staircase,  when  Maurice,  having  thus  accomplished 
his  object,  began  to  think  of  turning  back,  especially  as  he 
had  now  but  ten  men  left. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  tunnel,  however,  he  saw  the  cow- 
ardly Caliphronas  in  the  rear,  keeping  out  of  harm's  way, 
and,  forgetting  his  caution  of  keeping  the  enemy  in  front, 
sprang  forward  to  battle  with  the  Greek.  Alcibiades  saw 
the  false  move,  and,  when  Maurice's  men  followed  him  rashly 
forward,  dashed  back  with  a  handful  of  his  troops,  and 
in  a  moment  the  little  band  was  surrounded  by  a  horde  of 
howling  savages.  This  was  immediately  under  the  entrance 
of  the  tunnel,  on  level  ground,  so,  the  advantage  being  with 
the  enemy  in  every  way,  it  seemed  as  though  the  Englishman 
and  his  handful  would  be  cut  to  pieces.  Seeing  his  mistake, 
Maurice,  with  his  devoted  followers,  strove  to  fight  his  way 
back  up  the  stair,  but,  environed  on  all  sides  by  a  tumultu- 
ous crowd,  gave  himself  up  for  lost. 

"  ]\Iy  God !  if  Justinian  would  onl}^  come  !  "  he  prayed,  as 
he  fought  back  to  back  with  Gurt  and  surrounded  by  his 
band.     "  Will  nothing  save  us  ?  " 

At  that  moment,  as  if  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  a  low  moan- 
ing sound  came  sweeping  over  the  ocean,  making  every  heart 
sink  with  fear.  The  island  began  to  tremble,  and  for  the 
moment  so  terrible  was  the  suspense,  that  the  fighting 
ceased.  Friend  and  foe  stood  alike  pallid  with  fear,  as  the 
ground  began  to  shake  convulsively,  and  the  whole  host 
looked  as  though  turned  into  stone.     The   ground,  heaving 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  357 

convulsively,  hurled  every  one  to  the  ground,  including 
Maurice  and  his  band,  who  were  just  beyond  the  entrance 
of  the  tunnel.  Suddenly  there  was  a  sound  like  thunder, 
and  on  the  prostrate  mass  of  humanity  lying  on  the  quiver- 
ing earth,  a  great  mass  of  rock  fell  from  above.  What  with 
the  dust,  the  noise,  the  yells  of  fear,  and  the  imprecations, 
Maurice  was  almost  stunned,  and  when  he  arose  to  his  feet, 
he  saw  that  the  enormous  slip  caused  by  the  earthquake 
had  not  only  killed  a  number  of  the  enemy,  but  had  also 
blocked  up  the  entrance  to  the  tunnel. 

Seeing  that  there  was  no  hope  to  return  that  way,  and  well 
aware  that  Alcibiades  and  those  of  his  men  who  still  sur- 
vived would  kill  him  as  soon  as  they  recovered  from  their 
fright,  Maurice  sprang  to  his  feet  and  seized  Gurt  by  the 
arm. 

"  To  the  boats !  the  boats  ! "  he  gasped,  hurrying  the 
astonished  sailor  down  to  the  water's  edge.  "Tunnel 
closed.     We  must  try  the  western  pass," 

About  four  Melnosians  had  followed  him,  and  these,  with 
superhuman  strength,  pushed  off  a  boat  from  shore.  When 
all  six  were  afloat,  the  islanders  took  the  oars  and  commenced 
to  pull  outward,  so  as  to  skirt  the  breakwater.  By  this  time 
the  enemy  had  recovered  from  their  first  terror,  and,  seeing 
the  escape  of  the  fugitives,  came  rushing  down  to  the  sea. 
There  seemed  to  be  about  two  hundred  of  them  left,  and 
being  pretty  well  used  to  such  trifles  as  earthquakes,  espe- 
cially those  who  came  from  Santorin,  now  that  the  danger 
was  past,  they  were  determined  to  follow  and  kill  the  little 
band. 

Luckily,  Maurice,  by  his  prompt  action,  had  gained  a  good 
start,  and  was  already  outside  the  breakwater,  making  for 
the  western  side  of  the  island,  where  he  hoped  to  re-enter 
through  the  western  pass.  He  could  see  Alcibiades  and 
Caliphronas  gesticulating  fiercely  on  the  beach  and  urging 
their  companions  to  follow,  so,  just  as  the  fugitives  came  in 
sight  of  the  wreck  of  The  Eunice,  their  enemies  started  in 
pursuit. 

"  Thank  God  for  that  earthquake  ! "  said  Maurice  thank- 
fully, taking  off  his  cap.     "  It  saved  our  lives." 

'•  Don't  holler  till  you're  out  of  the  wood,  sir,"  said  Gurt 
dryly,  pointing  to  the  sea.  "  I've  seed  that  sort  o'  thing  at 
Thera,  and  it  ain't  no  child's  play." 

The  waters  around  them  were  boiling  like  a  furnace,  and 
had  changed  from  their  normal  blue  tint  to  the  color  of 


358  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

milk.  Maurice,  in  astonishment,  dipped  his  hand  over  the 
side  of  the  boat  into  this  opalescent  sea,  but  withdrew  it 
immediately  with  a  cry  of  pain. 

The  water  was  boiling  hot ! 

"Bless  you,  sir,  there's  lots  of  that  sort  of  thing  about 
here,"  said  Gurt  in  a  philosophical  tone.  "I've  seed  it 
a-bilin'  round  Santorin  like  a  kittle.  These  Greeks  don't 
mind  it  much." 

"  Don't  they  ? "  replied  Maurice  in  a  disbelieving  tone. 
"Well,  Alcibiades  and  his  lot  seemed  pretty  sick." 

"  While  it  lasts  they're  frightened  enough,  but  they  soon 
get  over  it,  sir.     Look  at  'em  follering." 

By  this  time  they  were  rounding  the  angle  of  Melnos,  and 
the  breakwater  of  the  western  harbor  was  in  sight ;  but  the 
boat  containing  Alcibiades,  manned  by  able  rowers,  was 
gradually  gaining  on  them.  Two  of  the  Melnosians,  though 
they  tugged  away  pluckily,  were  yet  in  great  pain  from 
wounds,  while  Gurt,  feeble  from  loss  of  blood,  could  hardly 
rise  to  his  feet. 

"  Give  way,  men !  "  cried  ^Maurice  in  Greek,  as  he  exam- 
ined his  revolver.  "I've  got  two  shots  left,  Gurt,  so,  if  that 
boat  comes  too  near,  I'll  try  to  pick  off  one  of  the  rowers." 

"  We're  not  far  from  home  now,  sir,"  said  Gurt  hopefully ; 
"and  Mr.  Crispin  will  be  at  the  gate." 

"  I  hope  he  will,  Gurt ;  but  this  earthquake  must  have 
demoralized  everything,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Crispin  went  back 
to  see  Justinian." 

"Not  he,  sir;  he'd  send  Temistocles.  But  Mr.  Justinian 
must  think  us  dead." 

"  It's  not  improbable.  However,  we  will  soon  show  him 
we're  alive,  though  the  tunnel  is  closed  up  forever." 

"Good job  too,  sir,"  replied  Gurt  cheerfully;  "there's  no 
getting  in  that  wa}^  now ;  so  if  these  villains  want  to  take 
Melnos,  they'll  only  have  the  western  pass  to  enter  by.  I 
guess  that  there  rock,  sir,  killed  a  few." 

"  What  with  the  battle  and  the  earthquake,  they  must 
have  lost  at  least  a  hundred  men,  while  our  deaths  are  com- 
paratively small." 

"  We've  got  nigh  on  a  hundred  left,  I  think,  sir ;  but  if  it 
weren't  fur  you,  sir,  gittin'  that  idear  of  the  boat,  we'd  be 
all  dead  men,  for  sure." 

"  Egad,  we'll  be  dead  men  now,  if  we  don't  look  out !  " 
said  Maurice,  as  the  foremost  boat  of  their  pursuers  came 
within  pistol  shot.  "  Look  out,  Gurt ;  I'm  going  to  pick  off 
that  fellow  standing  up  in  the  prow." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  359 

The  Melnosians,  in  their  sudden  rush  for  the  boat,  had 
naturally  enough  dropped  their  guns  ;  but  Maurice,  with  an 
Englishman's  determination  to  stick  to  anything  he  has  once 
got  a  grip  of,  had  carried  off  his  sword,  and  still  possessed 
liis  revolver.  Gurt  also  had  his  cutlass,  so,  in  the  event  of 
tlieir  foes  catching  them  on  land  before  they  could  gain  the 
shelter  of  the  stockade,  Maurice  and  one  of  the  Melnosians 
would  have  to  defend  the  three  wounded  men  and  the 
remaining  one,  who  had  no  weapon.  Meanwhile,  their  boat, 
impelled  by  the  rowers  with  the  energy  of  despair,  had 
rounded  the  breakwater,  and  was  rapidly  sweeping  inward  to 
the  land.  Some  little  distance  above  they  could  see  the  nar- 
row entrance  of  the  pass,  but,  as  Crispin  and  his  men  were 
intrenched  behind  the  palisade,  farther  up  the  gorge,  of 
course  the  fugitives  could  not  hope  for  their  help.  Maurice, 
however,  thought  that  the  pistol-shots  might  attract  atten- 
tion, as  the  sound  carries  far  in  that  rarefied  atmosphere,  and 
he  also  told  his  Melnosians  to  shout  loudly,  so  as  to  let  their 
friends  know  they  were  in  peril. 

Just  as  the  boat  was  nearly  touching  the  land,  a  bullet 
from  the  rifle  of  the  man  standing  up  in  the  prow  whizzed 
past  Maurice's  ear;  but,  fortunately,  being  widely  aimed, 
did  not  touch  him.  The  Englishman,  resting  his  revolver 
muzzle  on  his  left  arm,  fired  carefullj^,  and,  luckily,  hit  his 
enemy  full  in  the  chest;  whereupon  the  man  flung  up  his 
hands  and  fell  splash  into  the  water.  The  rowers,  startled 
at  this,  paused  for  a  moment ;  and  in  that  time  Maurice  ran 
his  boat  ashore,  and  giving  Gurt,  who  could  not  walk,  into 
the  care  of  the  two  Melnosians,  one  of  whom  was  unhurt, 
and  the  other  only  wounded  in  the  arm,  thrust  Gurt's  cutlass 
into  the  hand  of  the  remaining  one,  and  began  to  retreat 
slowly  up  the  hill. 

Alcibiades'  boat  was  yet  far  distant,  but  the  one  near 
shore,  its  rowers  having  recovered  from  their  surprise  at  the 
loss  of  their  leader,  landed  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  began 
to  run  as  fast  as  possible  after  the  fugitives.  The  Melno- 
sians shouted  with  right  good  will  for  help,  and,  while 
retreating  slowly,  Maurice  managed  to  drop  one  of  his  pur- 
suers with  his  remaining  cartridge.  They  had  now  nothing 
left  to  fight  with  but  a  sword  and  cutlass,  both  of  which  were 
useless  against  the  rifles  carried  by  their  pursuers,  and  the 
look-out  was  all  the  worse,  as  Captain  Alcibiades,  with  a  new 
crew  of  cut-throats,  had  now  landed  on  the  beach. 

The  two  Melnosians  hurried  Gurt  along  as  quickly  as  possi- 


360  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

ble,  the  other  wounded  man  ran  ahead,  shouting  for  help,  and 
Maurice,  with  the  remaining  islander,  covered  the  retreat 
with  stern  determination.  Several  shots  sung  past  them,  but 
their  pursuers  were  evidently  bad  marksmen,  and  they  gained 
the  entrance  of  the  gorge  without  being  hurt. 

The  palisade  now  could  be  seen  some  little  distance  away, 
and  the  foremost  fugitive  had  nearly  reached  it,  so  ^Maurice 
took  heart,  in  spite  of  the  near  proximity  of  Alcibiades  and 
his  men.  In  his  heart,  however,  he  was  praying  that  Crispin 
might  be  still  at  his  post,  as,  if  he  were  not,  the  whole  four 
of  them  would  certainly  be  murdered  on  the  spot. 

One  of  his  pursuers  was  now  close  at  hand,  and  raised  his 
rifle  to  the  shoulder ;  but  Maurice,  with  sudden  inspiration, 
threw  himself  flat  on  his  face,  and  the  ball  passed  over  his 
head.  Then,  springing  to  his  feet,  he  commenced  to  run 
rapidly  after  his  companions,  followed  by  the  baffl.ed  marks- 
man, who  did  not  wait  to  reload. 

Maurice  heard  a  shout  of  joy  from  the  palisade,  so  knew 
that  Crispin  was  at  his  post,  and  would  bring  him  help ;  but 
at  this  moment  the  foremost  man  caught  up  with  him.  The 
Englishman  slashed  at  his  neck  with  his  sabre,  but  the  wily 
Greek  dodged  lightly,  and,  clubbing  his  musket,  brought  it 
down  on  Roylands'  head  with  tremendous  force.  Instinc- 
tively Maurice  put  up  his  sword  to  guard  himself,  but  the 
weapon  shivered  to  pieces  under  the  blow,  and,  stunned  by 
the  stroke,  he  fell  insensible  to  the  ground. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  361 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE    WARNING    OF    HEPHAISTOS. 

Hence,  ye  mortals !  hence  away! 
Dare  not  on  this  isle  to  stay ; 
For  in  grim  seclusion  here 
I  a  mighty  forge  would  rear, 
So  that  in  this  sea-girt  grove 
I  can  work  for  mighty  Jove. 
Thunder-bolts  doth  he  require, 
Swift  to  follow  lightning's  fire, 
When  his  wrath  he  would  assuage, 
And  on  mortals  M'reak  his  rage. 
Never  more  will  Melnos  isle 
With  the  corn  of  Ceres  smile; 
From  its  crater  flames  will  rise. 
Roaring  to  the  frighted  skies ; 
Bubbling  from  the  depths  below, 
In  its  cup  will  lava  glow ; 
And  the  sea  around  will  boil 
At  my  never-ceasing  toil : 
Therefore,  mortals,  haste  away  ! 
Dare  not  on  this  isle  to  stay. 

When  Maurice  came  to  himself,  he  was  lying  on  the  grass 
inside  the  palisade,  and  Crispin  was  bending  over  him  with 
the  greatest  solicitude.  His  head  ached  dully  with  the 
effects  of  the  blow,  and  the  blood  was  clotted  in  a  nasty 
scalp-wound  on  the  right  side  of  his  skull,  where  the  butt  of 
the  musket  had  struck  him.  Dizzy  as  he  was,  yet  by  a 
violent  effort  he  managed  to  sit  up  and  inquire  in  a  feeble 
voice  what  had  become  of  the  companions  of  his  flight. 

"  Oh,  they  are  all  right,  Maurice ! "  said  Crispin,  holding 
out  his  brandy-flask,  "  Take  a  drink  of  this,  and  lie  down 
again  for  a  time." 

Maurice  did  as  he  was  told,  and  resumed  his  recumbent 
attitude  on  the  grass ;  but,  anxious  to  know  everything, 
looked  inquiringly  at  Crispin,  who  at  once  replied  to  his  mute 
questioning. 

"  I  have  been  here  ever  since  you  left  for  the  tunnel  this 
morning,"  explained  the  poet  quickly,  "as  Justinian  sent 
word  by  Temistocles  that  I  was  on  no  account  to  forsake  my 
post.  We  heard  your  pistol-shots  and  cries  for  help,  but 
thought  it  was  some  stratagem  on  the  part  of  the  enemy. 
Then  Theodore,  whom  you  sent  on  for  aid,  made  his  appear- 
ance at  the  barricade,  and  gasped  out  some  incoherent  story. 


362  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

As  soon  as  I  ascertained  it  was  you,  I  sallied  out  with  some 
men,  and  saw  Gurt  being  helped  up  the  hill,  and  yourself, 
with  Basil,  protecting  the  rear.  Alcibiades  and  some  others 
were  scrambling  up  after  you  5  and  then  we  saw  you  engage 
with  that  foremost  blackguard.  He  knocked  you  over,  and 
would  have  finished  you,  but  for  Dick,  who  took  a  pot  shot, 
and  bowled  him  over  like  a  ninepin.  Then  we  rushed  up, 
and  brought  you  here,  with  Alcibiades  and  his  friends  yelling 
like  fiends  at  the  escape  of  their  prey." 

"And  Alcibiades?'' 

"Oh,  he  and  the  other  fellows  have  gone  back  in  the  boats 
to  the  eastern  harbor,  I  suppose.  Jove !  I  was  never  so 
surprised  in  my  life  as  when  I  saw  you  scudding  up  that  hill, 
for  both  Justinian  and  myself  thought  you  were  dead  ! " 

"  Does  Justinian  know  I  am  alive  ?  " 

"Yes.  I  sent  Temistocles  off  to  tell  him  as  soon  as  you 
were  in  safety ;  I  expect  he'll  be  here  every  minute." 

"What  about  the  earthquake  ?  " 

"Oh,  we  felt  it,  I  can  tell  you.  It  was  a  tremendous 
shock,  and  has  filled  up  the  tunnel  completely." 

"  At  which,  I  suppose,  my  uncle  is  heart-broken  ?  " 

"  No  fear.  He  never  thought  about  the  tunnel  while  you 
were  in  danger.     But  how  did  you  manage  to  escape  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  long  story,"  said  Maurice  faintly,  for  he  felt 
sick  with  fatigue.     "  Give  me  some  more  brandy." 

"Here  you  are.  Don't  talk  any  more  till  Justinian 
comes." 

"But  tell  me,  where  is  Gurt?" 

"  Oh,  he  and  the  rest  have  gone  off  to  the  Acropolis  to 
be  looked  after.  Now,  do  be  quiet,  Maurice,  or  you'll  be 
fainting  again." 

Eoylands  closed  his  eyes,  and  obeyed ;  while  Crispin,  with 
a  sponge  and  water,  brought  by  the  swift-footed  Temistocles, 
carefully  bathed  the  wound,  and  dexterously  bound  it  up 
with  lint  and  linen,  so  that  Maurice  felt  more  comfortable. 

"  It's  only  a  flesh  wound,"  he  said  in  a  satisfied  tone  ;  "  but 
it  is  a  mercy  you  did  not  get  your  head  smashed." 

"What  is  the  time?" 

"  Nearly  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  You've  been  figlit- 
ing  all  night,  so  I  don't  wonder  you  are  dead  beat.  Tlie  sun 
will  be  up  over  the  eastern  peaks  soon." 

It  was  indeed  long  after  dawn,  for  in  the  darkness  of  the 
tunnel  no  one  had  taken  any  count  of  the  hours ;  and  when 
the  earthquake  had  occurred  it  was  just  that  time  between 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  363 

the  fading  night  and  the  coming  day.  So  upset  and  excited 
had  Maurice  been  with  the  fight,  the  earthquake,  and  the  es- 
cape, that  neither  he  nor  any  one  else  remembered  that  the 
fighting  had  begun  at  midnight,  and  lasted  till  sunrise.  And 
now  he  remembered  that  the  sun  had  risen  while  they  were 
rounding  the  angle  of  the  island ;  but,  having  forgotten  the 
flight  of  time,  he  had  not  thought  this  strange.  It  was  a 
great  blessing  that  they  had  escaped  in  the  boat  at  daylight; 
else  even  in  the  luminous  night  it  would  have  been  difiicult, 
with  the  sea  in  such  a  perturbed  condition,  to  have  made  the 
voyage  safely. 

Very  shortly  Justinian  arrived,  full  of  thankfulness  for 
Maurice's  escape,  and  fear  concerning  his  wound  ;  but  by  this 
time  the  young  man,  though  much  shaken,  was  quite  himself 
again ;  and,  leaning  on  the  Demarch's  arm,  with  occasional 
assistance  from  Crispin,  managed  to  crawl  along  as  far  as  the 
Acropolis,  where  they  were  joyously  received  by  Helena. 

As  the  tunnel  was  now  completely  closed  up,  there  was  no 
chance  of  the  pirates  getting  in  that  way ;  so  Justinian  sent 
all  his  men  over  to  the  western  pass,  where,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Dick,  they  remained  on  guard.  The  women  from 
the  village  came  up  the  first  thing  in  the  morning  with  pro- 
visions and  wine  to  minister  to  their  wants ;  so,  thus,  every- 
thing being  in  order  for  the  present,  the  Demarch  was  anxious 
to  hear  all  the  details  of  his  nephew's  miraculous  escape. 

He  told  them  the  whole  story  over  the  breakfast  table, 
with  occasional  help  from  Gurt,  who  was  admitted  to  the 
symposium  on  account  of  his  bravery  during  the  battle. 
The  old  Demarch,  self-contained  both  by  nature  and  training, 
did  not  say  much  during  the  recital,  beyond  expressing  his 
heartfelt  joy  at  the  escape  of  his  nephew,  but  it  could  easily 
be  seen  that  he  was  inordinately  proud  of  Maurice's  prowess 
and  promptitude  of  action  ;  for,  though  the  hero  himself 
modestly  suppressed  such  details  as  tended  to  self-glorifica- 
tion, Gurt,  in  his  blunt  sailor  way,  came  out  with  the  true 
unvarnished  facts  of  the  case,  which  caused  Maurice  to  blush, 
and  his  audience  to  exclaim  admiringly. 

"By  Jove,  Maurice,  you  ought  to  be  a  V.C. !  "  cried  Crispin, 
when  the  story  came  to  an  end.  "  If  you  hadn't  had  your 
wits  about  you,  and  seized  that  boat,  you  would  have  been  a 
dead  man  to  a  certainty  ! " 

"  It  is  the  Roylands'  blood  !  "  said  Justinian  proudly.  "  I 
knew  I  was  not  mistaken  in  my  estimate  of  your  character, 
Maurice.     You  will  make  an  admirable  ruler  of  Melnos  ! " 


364  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  That  is,  if  there  is  any  Melnos  to  rule  over,"  replied 
Maurice,  with  an  uneasy  laugh  ;  '•  for,  by  Jove,  uncle,  when 
that  earthquake  came,  I  thought  everything  had  gone  to 
kingdom  come." 

"  Ah,  you  see,  father,  I  was  right  about  the  earthquake 
last  night!"  said  Helena  in  triumph;  ''I  felt  that  something 
was  going  to  happen  !  " 

"  Yes,  but  you  thought  it  would  be  an  eruption,"  answered 
Justinian,  with  apparent  indifference,  though  there  was  an 
anxious  look  on  his  face  ;  ''  as  to  an  earthquake,  why,  these 
Greek  islands  are  all  volcanic,  so  that  means  nothing." 

"  How  did  you  get  on  after  I  left  you,  uncle  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  set  my  men  to  work,  to  build  up  the  barricade 
again,  with  turf  and  bags  of  sand.  You  were  a  long  time 
gone,  my  son,  and  I  became  afraid  that  you  had  been  cut  to 
pieces,  so,  when  the  work  was  done,  I  intended  taking  some 
men  and  going  after  you.  Then  the  earthquake  occurred, 
and  we  heard  the  fall  of  the  roof  at  the  cliff  entrance.  I 
thought  you  were  dead  for  sure,  and  cannot  tell  you  of  the 
anguish  I  felt  at  your  loss.  However,  Temistocles  brought 
me  the  news  of  your  safe  arrival  at  the  western  pass,  and  I 
breathed  freely  again.  Oh,  my  dear  Maurice,"  continued 
the  Demarch,  taking  his  nephew's  hand,  "  how  fervently  do 
I  thank  God  that  you  are  alive !  for  if  those  scoundrels  had 
killed  you,  indeed  I  do  not  think  I  would  have  had  the  heart 
to  continue  living  in  Melnos." 

Maurice  was  greatly  touched  with  his  uncle's  emotion, 
which  was  a  rare  thing  for  the  iron  old  Demarch  to  display, 
for  as  a  rule  he  took  both  good  and  bad  fortune  with  the 
utmost  equanimity,  and  seldom  gave  any  outward  signs  of 
his  feelings  on  such  occasions.  His  nephew,  however,  was 
very  dear  to  his  heart,  and  he  looked  upon  him  with  great 
pride,  both  as  his  future  son-in-law  and  successor,  so  it  had 
been  a  terrible  blow  to  him,  to  think  he  had  lost  a  young 
man  on  whom  all  his  future  hopes  depended. 

As  for  Helena,  she  said  nothing,  but,  genuine  offspring  of 
her  father  as  she  was,  bore  up  pluckil}^,  though  it  could  be 
plainly  seen  that  she  had  suffered  much  during  the  absence 
of  her  lover.  Fortunately,  the  time  which  had  elapsed  be- 
tween Maurice's  supposed  death  and  subsequent  reappear- 
ance had  been  too  short  to  permit  of  her  knowing  of  the 
calamity,  else,  brave  as  she  was,  she  would  certainly  have 
given  way  under  such  a  cruel  misfortune.  As  it  was,  how- 
ever, he  now  sat  beside  her  safe  and  sound,  so  all  the  terrible 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  365 

events  which  he  detailed  with  such  coolness  only  seemed  to 
be  some  hideous  nightmare  which  had  vanished  at  the  coming 
of  morning. 

She  insisted  upon  Maurice's  going  to  bed  for  a  good  sleep 
after  breakfast,  in  which  insistence  she  was  supported  by 
her  father,  who  saw  that  Maurice  was  more  shaken  by  his 
late  fatigue  than  lie  chose  to  acknowledge. 

"  You  can  sleep  for  a  few  hours  at  all  events,  my  son,"  he 
said  affectionately,  "  for  Alcibiades  has  lost  too  many  men 
to  think  about  making  another  attack,  at  least  for  some 
time." 

''  Are  you  not  going  to  sleep  yourself  ?  " 

"No,  I  am  going  down  to  the  valley  to  look  at  those  hot 
springs.  This  earthquake  has  rather  unnerved  me,  and  I 
wish  to  see  for  myself  if  there  is  any  probability  of  an  erup- 
tion.    Crispin,  will  you  come  with  me  ?  " 

"  If  you  desire  it ;  but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  also  am 
rather  tired." 

"Pshaw!'"  said  the  man  of  iron,  with  good-humored  scorn; 
"you  have  no  stamina,  Crispin.  If  you  had  been  through 
all  that  Maurice  has  undergone,  you  might  talk.  However, 
take  3^our  sleep  for  an  hour  or  so." 

Crispin  really  was  very  delicately  constituted,  and  could 
not  do  without  that  sleep  which  Justinian  despised,  but,  in 
order  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency,  he  curled  himself  up 
on  a  divan  in  the  court,  and  rested  there  without  removing 
his  clothes.  Maurice,  on  the  contrary,  completely  worn  out 
with  fatigue  and  anxiety,  to  say  nothing  of  his  scalp  wound, 
went  straight  to  bed,  and  slept  soundly  most  of  the  day, 
while  Helena,  tenderly  solicitous  of  his  comfort,  watched 
beside  him  the  whole  time,  with  her  little  hand  lying  in  his 
warm  grasp. 

Meanwhile,  Justinian,  who,  in  spite  of  his  age,  scarcely 
seemed  to  feel  the  effect  of  the  previous  night's  vigil,  took  a 
cold  bath  to  freshen  himself  up,  and  then  started  on  a  journey 
of  inspection  round  the  island.  Like  a  careful  general,  his 
first  visit  was  to  the  outposts  at  the  western  pass,  where  he 
found  everything  in  an  extremely  satisfactory  condition. 
Part  of  the  men  were  sleeping,  while  the  others  kept  guard, 
waiting  to  take  their  turn  of  rest  when  their  comrades  awoke. 
Notwithstanding  the  hard  fighting,  all  those  who  had  been 
engaged  in  the  defence  of  the  tunnel  seemed  in  a  wonderfully 
good  condition,  while  Dick  and  his  nine  sailors,  hardened  by 
a  seafaring  life,  seemed  to  feel  no  fatigue  whatsoever,  in  spite 
of  constant  watchfulness  and  anxiety. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

With  a  view  to  seeing  the  position  of  the  enemy,  Jus- 
tinian climbed  up  a  small  path  which  led  to  the  hills  from 
the  inner  side  of  the  outward  palisade,  and,  using  his  field- 
glass,  soon  discovered  that  Alcibiades  was  concentrating  his 
forces  below  in  order  to  storm  the  pass.  Boat  after  boat 
filled  with  desperadoes  came  sweeping  round  the  breakwater 
into  the  smooth  sea  of  the  harbor,  and  tents  were  being 
erected  on  the  beach  by  the  besiegers.  Evidently  they  had 
discovered  that  there  was  no  chance  of  entering  by  the 
tunnel,  which  was  completely  blocked  up  by  the  fallen  rocks, 
so  were  determined  to  effect  an  entrance  by  the  western 
pass,  where  at  least  they  would  have  the  advantage  of  light- 
ing in  daylight.  Carefully  surveying  the  disorderly  host, 
Justinian  calculated  that  there  still  remained  about  two 
hundred  men,  against  which  he  could  only  bring  ninety-five 
or  thereabouts.  Still,  intrenched  behind  his  barricades,  and 
having  the  pass  swept  by  two  cannon,  he  thought  the  invaders 
would  find  it  somewhat  difficult  to  dislodge  him  from  such  a 
strong  position,  the  more  so  as  they  lacked  discipline,  and 
their  leaders  were  quite  ignorant  of  military  tactics. 

Having  ascertained  all  this,  Justinian  descended  into  the 
gorge  again,  where  he  gave  Dick  his  final  instructions,  which 
were  simply  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  on  the  enemy,  and,  in 
the  event  of  seeing  any  movement  uphill  towards  the  mouth 
of  the  pass,  to  at  once  send  off  Temistocles  to  the  Acropolis 
with  the  information. 

Dick  having  promised  faithfully  to  obey  these  instructions, 
the  Demarch,  escorted  by  a  couple  of  his  men,  went  along 
the  mulberry  avenue,  in  order  to  survey  the  tunnel,  which  he 
had  not  entered  since  driven  from  thence  by  the  eartliquake 
some  hours  previous.  The  electric  light  was  turned  off,  as 
the  Demarch,  now  that  the  danger  lay  more  in  the  west  than 
the  east,  judged  it  advisable  to  reserve  all  the  power  of  the 
dynamo  for  the  one  light  which  swept  the  western  pass,  and 
therefore,  bidding  his  men  take  torches,  went  downward  into 
the  darkness  of  the  tunnel  with  such  illumination  only. 

Passing  down  to  the  ruins  of  the  palisade,  where  so  fierce 
a  fight  had  taken  place,  he  crossed  that  boundary,  and,  turn- 
ing the  angle  of  the  staircase,  came  in  sight  of  the  landslip 
caused  by  the  earthquake.  The  red  flare  of  the  torches  but 
feebly  showed  the  amount  of  damage  done,  but  Justinian  saw 
sufficient  to  assure  him  that  there  was  no  chance  of  the  tun- 
nel being  made  use  of  again  for  at  least  some  months. 
Extending:  from  the  cliff  entrance  to  some  considerable  dis- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  367 

tance  back,  the  whole  roof  had  collapsed,  and  tons  of  debris 
piled  upward  from  floor  to  vault  completely  sealed  up  the 
mouth  of  the  passage.  It  would  take  a  goodly  amount  of 
dynamite  and  blasting  powder  to  remove  those  massive 
blocks;  and,  now  that  he  knew  Maurice  was  safe,  the 
Demarch  had  time  to  grieve  over  the  damage  done  to  his 
beloved  tunnel.  Justinian,  however,  was  too  practical  a  man 
to  waste  time  in  useless  lamentation,  and  promptly  decided 
that,  as  soon  as  Alcibiades  was  beaten  back,  —  an  event 
which  he  was  assured  would  come  off  without  much  diffi- 
culty, —  he  would  set  gangs  of  men  to  clear  away  the  obstruc- 
tion, and  restore,  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  the  tunnel 
to  its  pristine  excellence.  The  burning  of  the  palisade  also 
had  taught  him  a  lesson,  and,  to  obviate  the  chances  of  such 
defence  being  destroyed  by  fire,  he  decided  to  build  a  kind 
of  stone  bastion  in  the  same  place,  with  loopholes  for  guns, 
and  also  to  fortify  it  with  two  field-pieces,  which  would 
simply  mow  down  an  enemy  advancing  up  the  staircase  like 
ripe  corn. 

The  inspection  of  the  tunnel  being  concluded,  Justinian 
returned  upward  to  the  light  of  day,  and  descended  the  grand 
staircase  in  order  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  springs.  He  looked 
upon  these  as  a  kind  of  thermometer,  useful  in  warning  him 
of  seismic  disturbances,  for,  in  spite  of  the  long  silence  of 
the  volcano,  Justinian  knew  that  the  subterranean  forces 
were  still  at  work  under  the  crust  which  covered  the  crater ; 
and  Avith  the  remembrance  of  the  great  eruption  of  Vesuvius, 
in  the  year  79,  constantly  in  his  mind,  was  not  without  cer- 
tain fears  that  this  long-slumbering  monster  might  reawaken 
from  the  sleep  of  centuries.  The  volcanic  forces,  however, 
having  a  vent  in  the  adjacent  island  of  Santorin,  he  had 
hitherto  calculated  that  Melnos  would  remain  quiescent,  but 
the  terrible  earthquake  which  had  so  unexpectedly  occurred 
inspired  him  with  great  uneasiness,  and  he  was  in  deadly 
fear  lest  it  should  prelude  the  renewed  activity  of  the  moun- 
tain. 

As  before  described,  the  hot  springs  of  Melnos  somewhat 
resembled  the  geysers  of  Iceland,  save  that  they  were  less 
active,  and  did  not  send  up  jets  of  water  to  any  great  height 
from  their  uncanny  mouths.  On  this  day,  however,  when 
the  Demarch  approached  the  desolate  gorge  where  they  had 
hitherto  rested  as  slightly  bubbling  pools  of  water,  he  was 
astonished  and  dismayed  to  find  tliem  in  full  activity. 
Clouds  of  thin  steam  almost  obscured  the  yellow,  red,  and 


368  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

green  lava  of  the  rocks  behind,  and  amid  this  ominous  vapor 
the  springs  were  spouting  furiously  at  intervals.  Thick  jets 
of  boiling  water  would  gush  up  from  the  ragged  clefts  in  the 
sulphur-streaked  blocks  to  a  considerable  height,  and,  after 
expending  their  fury,  would  sink  down  again  into  the  bowels 
of  the  earth.  After  a  time  the  muttered  bellowing  of  the 
monsters  would  be  heard,  and  amid  groanings  and  gurglings, 
w^hich  told  of  the  colossal  forces  at  work  beneath,  the  great 
columns  of  water  would  again  shoot  skyward  with  hideous 
roars. 

The  Demarch  noticed  this  unusual  disturbance  of  the 
springs  with  great  uneasiness,  as  during  his  whole  forty 
years'  residence  on  the  island  never  had  there  been  such 
signs  of  danger.  Even  where  he  stood,  the  earth  was 
cracked  in  many  places,  and  little  jets  of  steam  escaped  with 
a  whistling  noise,  which  could  be  heard  shrilly  when  the  bel- 
lowing of  the  geysers  ceased.  All  the  Melnosians  were  in  a 
terrible  state  of  alarm,  and  it  took  all  Justinian's  eloquence 
to  persuade  them  that  this  was  simply  a  local  disturbance 
caused  by  the  earthquake,  and  that  there  was  no  danger  of 
an  outbreak  on  the  part  of  the  long-sleeping  volcano. 

Truth  to  tell,  in  spite  of  his  speech,  he  was  not  at  all  easy 
in  his  mind  as  he  climbed  up  the  staircase  to  the  Acropolis, 
for  these  ominous  signs  boded  but  ill  for  the  safety  of  the 
island,  and  he  dreaded  lest  w^ithout  further  warning  the  cra- 
ter should  burst  out  into  full  fury,  in  which  case  every  being 
therein  would  certainly  be  killed.  He  was  unwilling,  how- 
ever, to  communicate  his  fears  to  Helena  or  to  Maurice,  and 
thus  disturb  their  minds  at  this  critical  period  of  the  siege  ; 
but,  feeling  that  he  must  have  some  one  with  whom  to  talk, 
awoke  Crispin  from  his  siesta,  and,  taking  him  into  his  own 
room,  gave  him  a  description  of  the  geysers'  activity. 

'•  The  deuce  !  "  said  Crispin  in  dismay,  when  he  heard  this 
unpleasant  recital.  "  I  hope  we  are  not  going  to  have  the 
destruction  of  Pompeii  over  again ;  but  I  must  say  it  looks 
uncommonly  like  it ! " 

'•  Do  you  think  Melnos  will  break  out  again  ?  " 

"  Those  spouting  geysers  certainly  don't  bode  any  good, 
sir,  nor  that  earthquake  either.  Perhaps  it  is  a  warn- 
ing from  Hephaistos  that  we  had  better  leave  the  island." 

*'  I  won't  leave  the  island,"  said  Justinian  obstinately, 
drawing  his  iron-gray  brows  together  ;  ''  after  forty  years  of 
incessant  toil,  I  would  indeed  be  a  coward  to  leave  Melnos 
simply  because  things  look  a  trifle  ominous." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  369 

"  Yes ;  but  volcanoes  are  delicate  things  to  deal  with. 
These  signs  are  slight ;  but  who  knows  but  what  they  may 
be  followed  by  a  blowing  up  of  the  crater's  crust,  in  which 
case  I  am  afraid  everything  in  connection  with  Melnos  will 
be  at  an  end." 

"  But  the  volcano  has  been  extinct  for  thousands  of 
years !  " 

"So  was  Vesuvius,"  replied  Crispin  coolly,  "and  that 
mountain  in  New  Zealand  —  Tarawera,  was  it  not  ?  —  that 
awoke  to  activity  after  centuries  of  quiescence.  You  can't 
trust  volcanoes,  sir.  They  are  most  treacherous  monsters, 
and  when  least  expected  break  out  in  full  fury." 

"  An  eruption  is  going  on  at  Thera." 

"  All  the  more  reason  that  the  volcanic  action  will  extend 
to  Melnos." 

"There  I  don't  agree  with  you.  If  the  subterranean 
forces  find  vent  in  one  place,  there  is  less  chance  of  them 
breaking  out  in  another.  Besides,  Thera  has  always  been 
active.  Herodotus,  Appollonius,  and  Plutarch  all  speak  of 
previous^  eruptions.  Then  there  was  one  in  1457,  when  the 
Venetians  occupied  the  island ;  another  in  1707 ;  and  I 
think  the  last  outburst  took  place  in  1866." 

"  Well,  according  to  Georgios,  there  is  one  going  on  now, 
which  is  a  bad  sign  for  us." 

"  On  the  contrary,  a  very  good  sign.  Don't  you  see,  Cris- 
pin, that,  whereas  Thera  has  burst  out  every  hundred  years 
or  so  for  many  centuries,  there  is  no  record  of  Melnos  being 
active.  This  temple  of  Hephaistos  was  built  long  before 
Christ,  during  the  supremacy  of  Hellas  in  these  seas,  and 
had  the  crater  not  been  extinct  then,  it  could  not  have  been 
built  on  the  inner  cup,  nor  could  any  eruption  have  taken 
place  since,  as  it  would  have  been  destroyed ;  so  as  the 
mountain,  to  all  appearances,  has  been  extinct  for  thousands 
of  years,  and  the  volcanic  forces  find  vent  at  Thera,  I  really 
do  not  see  why,  because  of  an  earthquake  and  a  spouting 
geyser,  we  should  think  it  likely  the  crater  will  break  out 
again." 

"  Still,  you  see  the  Hellenes  must  have  known  this  was  a 
volcanic  island,  and,  perhaps,  put  up  this  temple  to  the  god 
of  fire  in  memory  of  an  eruption.  If  I  remember  rightly, 
the  Rhodians  built  a  temple  to  Poseidon  Asphalios  after 
some  early  eruption,  in  order  to  propitiate  the  gods ;  so 
this  shrine  may  have  been  erected  for  a  similar  reason," 

"  Scarcely,  if  the  volcano  was  active  then.     I  don't  think 


370  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

even  the  pious  Hellenes  would  have  risked  their  lives  in 
building  a  temple  under  the  very  nose  of  Vulcan  in  full 
work.     But  what  do  you  think  is  best  to  be  done  ?  " 

"Well,  certainly  it  would  be  foolish  to  leave  Melnos, 
after  all  the  work  you  have  expended  upon  it,  without  very 
good  reason,  and,  until  something  more  serious  occurs,  I 
should  be  inclined  to  remain.  In  spite  of  these  signs,  the 
volcano  has  been  as  quiet  as  a  lamb  for  thousands  of  years ; 
so  I  do  not  see  why  it  should  break  out  now,  save  out  of 
sheer  contrariness.  We  had  better  go  on  defending  Melnos 
from  Alcibiades,  and  take  no  notice  of  the  volcano ;  but  if 
anything  serious  occurs,  we  must  get  away  as  quickly  as 
possible." 

"  But  how  ?     Alcibiades  has  destroyed  all  our  boats." 

''  Well,  we  will  seize  his  ;  or  else,  as  soon  as  I  can  guess 
The  Eunice  is  at  Syra,  I  will  go  over  and  bring  her  to  Mel- 
nos ;  so  that  in  case  of  danger  I  can  save  every  one." 

"  Over  a  hundred  and  fifty  people  !     Impossible  !  " 

"  There  won't  be  a  hundred  and  fifty  people  by  the  time 
Alcibiades  is  beaten,"  replied  Crispin  dryly.  "  It  is  not  that 
I  am  afraid  of;  but  if  such  a  contingency  as  the  volcano 
becoming  active  does  arise,  my  difficulty  will  be  to  get 
through  the  besieging  army  out  into  the  open  sea." 

"I'm  afraid  there's  no  chance  of  that,"  replied  the 
Demarch  gloomily. 

"  Well,  it  certainly  looks  impossible,  but  there's  nothing 
like  trying.  However,  there  may  be  no  necessity  for  such 
daring.  Don't  trouble  about  the  volcano,  Justinian ;  I've  no 
doubt  Hephaistos  will  warn  us  again  before  proceeding  to 
extremities." 

"  I  am  of  the  same  opinion  myself.  Still,  your  words 
have  given  no  great  comfort,  Crispin ;  for,  after  all  the 
money  and  labor  expended  on  this  island,  it  would  indeed  be 
a  terrible  thing  if  it  became  nothing  but  a  smoking  mass  of 
black  lava,  to  say  nothing  of  the  destruction  of  my  schemes." 

"  You  won't  tell  Maurice  or  Helena  of  this  ?  " 

"Ko.  Maurice  has  quite  enough  on  his  mind  already,  and 
it  would  only  frighten  Helena  to  death.  She  is  brave 
enough  at  most  dangers,  but  I  think  a  volcanic  eruption 
would  frighten  the  most  stout-hearted.  I  have  to  a  great 
extent  calmed  the  feelings  of  those  in  the  village,  so  it  will 
be  best  for  you  and  I  to  keep  our  own  counsel,  and  not  use- 
lessly alarm  our  friends." 

"I  hope   it  is   a  useless   alarm,"  said  Crispin  uneasily. 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY,  371 

"But  it  is  a  very  unpleasant  idea  to  think  that  one  is  living 
on  top  of  a  powder-magazine  which  may  explode  at  any 
moment." 

"  As  far  at  that  goes,"  answered  the  Demarch  dryly,  "  the 
whole  globe  is  nothing  but  an  Qg^  full  of  fire,  and  we  all  live 
on  the  surface  of  an  explosive  bombshell  whirling  through 
space,  which  may  burst  at  any  moment.  My  island  is  only 
a  sample  of  the  whole  earth." 

"  I  wish  you  wouldn't  look  at  things  in  such  an  unpleasant 
light,"  cried  Crispin,  laughing.  "  My  nerves  will  be  destroyed 
before  I  leave  this  island.  However,  I  am  going  to  finish 
my  sleep." 

"  And  Maurice  ?  " 

"He  also  is  asleep,  and  Fve  no  doubt  will  wake  up  quite 
fit  for  another  midnight  attack." 

"  Egad,  and  he'll  get  it ! "  said  the  Demarch  grimly. 
"That  villain  Alcibiades  is  getting  ready  for  another 
assault." 

"  Well,  in  spite  of  the  benefits  conferred,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
Hephaistos  won't  interfere  this  time  with  his  earthquakes." 

"  He  has  warned  us  twice,"  replied  Justinian,  as  he 
walked  out  into  the  court  with  the  poet ;  "  once  by  the 
earthquake,  again  by  the  springs.  Heaven  help  us  when  the 
third  warning  comes  !  " 

"  Oh,  there's  luck  in  odd  numbers,"  said  Crispin  flip- 
pantly. "  And,  in  any  case,  if  we  come  to  grief,  our  enemies 
will  be  in  the  same  plight  as  ourselves." 


372  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

THE    INVOCATION    OF    ARTEMIS. 

O  Moon !  thou  risest  from  the  western  seas, 

A  virgin  Aphrodite  fair  and  chaste, 

And  by  thy  votaress  on  bended  knees 

These  stainless  tlowers  are  on  thine  altar  placed: 

Pale  lilies,  roses  wan,  and  cyclamen, 

Whose  petals  have  ensnared  thy  pallid  rays  ; 

Frail  hyacinth  as  chill  as  mountain  snows 

Beneath  thy  wintry  ken  ; 

With  many  blossoms  plucked  in  dewy  ways, 

For  thee,  O  goddess !  who  canst  end  my  woes. 

O  Moon !  I  pray  thee  in  thy  tenderness, 
Watch  with  thy  silver  eye  my  lover  gone. 
And  soothe  him  with  thy  virginal  caress, 
For  thou  hadst  also  an  Endymion. 
Astarte!    Dian!     Tanith!    Artemis! 
Whate'er  men  name  thee  in  thy  mystic  might, 
With  sacrifice  and  songs  I  worship  thee : 
So  grant,  O  Moon!  the  bliss 
Of  feeling  in  my  heart  the  pure  delight, 
Which  tells  my  love  is  coming  back  to  me. 

Evidently  Alcibiades  had  but  little  stomach  for  mid- 
night fighting,  for  he  made  no  attempt  to  storm  the  pass 
under  the  cover  of  darkness,  and  was  apparently  making 
preparations  to  begin  the  fight  at  the  first  flush  of  the  dawn. 
In  thus  deciding,  he  was  wiser  than  he  knew,  for  many  of 
his  men  had  been  killed  in  the  tunnel  by  their  own  friends, 
owing  to  the  confusion  which  prevailed  during  the  retreat 
down  the  staircase.  Moreover,  with  the  electric  light  show- 
ing the  position  of  the  enemy  to  the  defenders,  and  dazzling 
their  eyesight  when  they  advanced  to  the  attack,  there  was 
nothing  to  be  gained  by  a  night  sortie,  and  Alcibiades 
thought  it  best  to  storm  the  pass  by  day,  so  that  he,  at  least 
in  the  matter  of  light,  might  have  the  same  advantage  as 
Justinian. 

All  day  long,  the  Demarch  and  his  nephew  posted  them- 
selves on  the  heights  above  the  gorge,  and  from  their  van- 
tage, with  the  aid  of  strong  field-glasses,  saw  the  prepa- 
rations which  were  being  made  for  the  final  attack.  Alci- 
biades, with  more  military  precision  than  of  yore,  had 
divided  his  two  hundred  men  into  two  bodies,  one  of  which 
was   commanded  by  himself  and  the  other  by  Count  Cali- 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  373 

phronas.  Under  these  two  leaders  were  four  other  com- 
manders responsible  for  fifty  troops  each,  but  these  deferred 
to  Caliphronas  and  Alcibiades,  while  the  Count  in  his  turn 
took  his  orders  from  the  old  pirate  as  the  supreme  head  of 
the  whole  army. 

Without  doubt,  Alcibiades  desired  to  attack  the  island  in 
two  separate  places,  for  he  knew,  thanks  to  the  treachery  ot 
Caliphronas,  that  Justinian's  force  was  too  few  in  numbers 
to  admit  of  division,  and  thus,  while  the  one  body  was  at- 
tacking the  palisade  in  the  gorge,  the  other  could  get  at  the 
rear  of  the  Melnosians  by  another  way.  Unfortunately  for 
this  daring  scheme,  the  cliffs  on  either  side  of  the  pass  were 
perfectly  inaccessible,  as  they  arose  smooth  and  arid  from 
the  beach  to  the  height  of  two  hundred  feet,  and  as  the  be- 
siegers had  not  wings,  they  could  scarcely  hope  to  climb  up 
these  sterile  steeps,  which  would  not  have  afforded  foothold 
even  for  a  goat.  The  only  path  available  for  this  plan  was 
perfectly  well  known  to  Caliphronas,  but,  unluckily  for  the 
besiegers,  was  inside  the  outer  palisade,  from  whence  it 
wound  up  to  the  heights  where  the  Demarch  and  his  nephew 
were  seated,  and  from  thence  went  through  the  altar  glade, 
down  to  the  back  of  the  Acropolis. 

Once  the  outer  defence  was  taken,  Caliphronas  intended  to 
lead  his  century  of  men  up  this  secret  way,  which  he  knew 
thoroughly,  and  thus  gain  the  heart  of  the  islaod  as  exempli- 
fied by  the  Acropolis,  while  the  Demarch  was  keeping  back 
the  feigned  attack  at  the  stockade.  This  stratagem  was 
very  clever  and  very  feasible,  but  the  difficulty  in  carrying  it 
out  consisted  in  the  fact  that,  before  the  path  could  be 
ascended,  the  outer  defence  would  have  to  be  taken,  which 
was  no  easy  task,  when  defended  by  such  determined  men  as 
the  Melnosians.  However,  it  was  to  to  all  appearances  the 
only  chance  of  gaining  speedy  possession  of  the  island,  with- 
out risking  prolonged  fighting  ;  so  Alcibiades  adopted  the 
plan  without  hesitation,  and  arranged  with  his  subordinates 
to  assault  the  palisade  at  early  dawn,  carry  it  with  a  dash, 
and  then,  while  he  made  a  feigned  attack  at_  the  inner  de- 
fence, Caliphronas  and  his  men,  gaining  the  interior  of  the 
island  by  this  path,  could  attack  the  defending  party  in  the 
rear. 

It  never  for  a  moment  struck  Messrs.  Alcibiades  &  Com- 
pany that  Justinian  was  far  too  wide  awake  not  to  have 
thought  of  this  contingency,  and  had  made  his  preparations 
in  consequence.     The  entrance  of  the  path  from  the  gorge 


374  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

was  up  a  narrow,  winding  staircase,  cut  in  the  live  rock, 
which  could  only  hold  two  men  abreast,  so,  in  the  event  of 
the  outer  defence  being  beaten  down,  this  staircase  could  be 
easily  defended  by  a  dozen  or  so  of  men.  Added  to  this,  an 
iron  gate  closely  locked  was  placed  at  the  entrance  ;  there- 
fore, even  if  the  enemy  did  gain  an  entrance  into  the  pass, 
they  had  considerable  difficulties  to  overcome  before  march- 
ing in  triumph  into  the  Acropolis.  Justinian  would,  indeed, 
have  been  a  bad  general  had  he  not  foreseen  this  danger,  but 
even  though  he  thus  guarded  against  it  to  the  best  of  his 
ability,  he  trusted  that  his  men  would  be  able  to  hold  the 
outer  defence  until  Alcibiades  retired  in  discomfiture. 

As  a  matter-of-fact,  the  liery  old  adventurer  would  have 
liked  nothing  better  than  to  sally  forth  at  the  head  of  his 
handful  of  men  and  drive  his  enem}^  into  the  sea,  but  he  was 
no  longer  the  reckless  Kudolph  Roylands  of  the  past,  and 
judged  it  best  to  be  cautious,  nor  risk  the  chance  of  a  pitched 
battle  in  the  open  with  unequal  numbers.  Intrenched  in 
the  strong  outworks  of  the  pass,  his  little  band  could  hope 
to  face  their  enemies  with  more  than  a  fair  chance  of  victory, 
but  if  he  was  foolish  enough  to  make  a  sally,  his  ninety-five 
men  would,  in  spite  of  their  bravery,  be  quickl}^  cut  to  pieces 
by  more  than  double  the  number.  Of  course  their  military 
precision  would  doubtless  tell  against  the  undisciplined  hordes 
of  Alcibiades  ;  still  the  risk  was  too  great,  and  Justinian, 
much  as  he  desired  to  make  a  bold  dash  for  victory,  deemed 
it  best  to  take  advantage  of  all  the  shelter  and  advantage 
his  fortification?  afforded. 

The  western  pass  was  not  unlike  the  tunnel  in  conforma- 
tion, for,  extending  from  inside  to  outside,  a  distance  of  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  it  ran  upward  from  the  cliffs  of  the  beach 
for  some  little  way,  then,  turning  in  an  abrupt  angle,  pur- 
sued a  straight  way  into  the  interior  of  the  crater.  Evi- 
dently created  by  a  volcanic  eruption  for  the  outlet  of  lava, 
the  sides,  rent  apart  by  some  convulsion,  arose  precipitous 
and  sterile  to  the  height  of  over  two  hundred  feet.  No  vege- 
tation softened  the  nakedness  of  these  rugged  rocks,  which, 
streaked  with  green,  yellow,  and  red,  presented  a  singularly 
forbidding  appearance.  On  the  top  grew  ancient  pines, 
whose  sombre  branches,  nearly  touching  one  another  as  they 
stretched  across  the  gulf,  only  permitted  a  thin  streak  of  sky 
to  be  seen  ;  so  that  the  depths  below  were  singularly  gloomy, 
and  to  the  imaginative  Hellenes  might  well  have  suggested 
the  thought  that  it  was  the  Gate  of  Hades,  by  which  name  it 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  375 

was  traditionally  known.  Justinian,  however,  abandoned 
such  cognomen  as  of  evil  omen,  and  called  it  "  The  Western 
Pass,"  by  which  title  it  was  generally  called  by  the  Melno- 
sians.  It  was  indeed  a  remarkably  eerie  place  even  on  the 
brightest  day,  and  the  light  which  filtered  downward  from 
between  the  branches  of  the  pines  but  half  revealed,  in  a 
glimmering  gloom,  the  horrent  rocks,  the  lack  of  flowers  and 
grasses,  and  the  chill,  vault-like  seeming  of  the  whole  tre- 
mendous cleft. 

jVIaurice,  having  slept  all  day,  felt  wonderfully  refreshed 
when  he  awoke,  just  as  the  sun  set,  and,  though  his  head  was 
still  painful  with  the  wound,  yet  his  brain  was  perfectly 
bright  and  clear ;  so,  after  making  a  hearty  meal,  he  started 
with  his  uncle  and  Crispin  for  the  western  pass,  where  he 
was  to  remain  all  night.  The  enemy  might,  or  might  not, 
make  a  night  attack,  and  Justinian  rather  inclined  to  the 
belief  that  they  would  wait  till  daylight.  Nevertheless,  to 
guard  against  any  chance  of  such  a  thing  occurring,  he 
resolved  that  every  one,  both  leaders  and  men,  should  remain 
in  the  pass  during  the  hours  of  darkness. 

The  men  thus  being  at  the  front,  a  number  of  the  women 
were  sleeping  up  at  the  Acropolis  with  Helena,  so  as  to  be 
near  their  relations,  and  the  interior  of  the  island  was  thus 
given  ov^er  entirely  to  feminine  influence  ;  while  the  extreme 
end  of  the  pass,  near  to  the  outer  palisade,  was  occupied  by 
the  male  defenders.  At  times  the  sunlight  came  into  this 
cliff  entrance,  so  there  was  a  scanty  vegetation  for  some  dis- 
tance inward,  so  on  this  sparse  grass  Justinian  and  his  men 
made  themselves  comfortable.  Many  of  the  soldiers,  wearied 
out  with  watching,  were  sleeping  around,  but  there  was  a 
strong  guard  at  the  barricade,  under  the  command  of  Gurt, 
who  was  much  better,  and  had  insisted  upon  coming  to  the 
front. 

Round  a  fire  sat  the  Demarch,  his  nephew,  Crispin,  and 
Dick,  all  talking  earnestly  about  the  coming  struggle,  for  the 
bos'n,  having  snatched  a  few  hours  of  sleep  during  the  after- 
noon, was  now  quite  alert  and  active.  The  fire  was  lighted 
more  for  the  sake  of  comfort  than  because  of  cold,  though, 
indeed,  the  bottom  of  this  abyss  was  chilly  enough,  and  the 
cheerful  flames  flickered  redly  in  the  intense  darkness,  while 
high  above  glimmered  the  pale  stars,  and  to  the  right  arose 
the  frowning  mass  of  the  palisade  black  against  the  faint 
gleam  of  the  luminous  night.  To  their  nostrils  came  the  salt 
savor  of  the  sea,  and  at  intervals  they  could  hear  the  songs 


376  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

and  revelry  of  their  foes  on  the  beach  below.  What  with  the 
recumbent  forms  of  the  sleeping  men,  the  firelight  hollow- 
ing out  a  space  for  itself  in  the  blackness,  and  the  intense 
stillness  of  the  night,  broken  only  by  the  pacing  of  the  sen- 
tries, and  the  fitful  snatches  of  song  from  the  near  distance, 
the  whole  scene  was  extraordinarily  weird,  so  much  so,  that 
Crispin,  with  his  impressionable  poet's  nature,  soon  relapsed 
into  silence.  ^ 

"  Crispin,  why  don't  you  think  of  business  ?  "  said  Maurice 
mischievously,  as  he  noticed  the  poet's  abstraction. 

"I  was  thinking  of  —  of  —  other  things." 

"  My  niece  for  instance,"  observed  the  Demarch,  with  a 
grave  smile. 

"It's  not  improbable,"  replied  Crispin,  reddening  a  trifle  ; 
"  but,  after  all,  I  am  in  good  company,  for  Maurice  is  doubt- 
less thinking  of  Helena." 

Maurice,  smiling,  did  not  deny  this  remarkably  accurate 
guess,  and  his  uncle,  smoothing  his  silver  beard,  laughed 
silently. 

"  I'm  afraid  Dick  and  myself  are  the  only  persons  who  are 
thinking  of  war." 

"  I'm  certain  of  it  as  far  as  you  are  concerned,  but  I  will 
not  answer  for  Dick  there." 

"Dick,  Dick!"  said  Justinian,  shaking  his  head  gravely; 
"  what  is  this  I  hear  ?  " 

"  About  Zoe,  sir,"  answered  the  bos'n  innocently. 

"  Oh,  it  is  my  daughter's  maid  !  " 

"  Well,  you  see,  sir,"  said  Dick  bashfully,  "  it  was  like  this, 
sir.  Zoe,  you  see,  gentlemen,  likes  me,  and  I  like  Zoe  ;  so, 
with  your  permission,  Mr.  Justinian,  we  were  thinking  of 
marriage." 

"  My  permission ! "  echoed  the  Demarch,  with  a  lurking 
smile ;  "  as  far  as  that  goes,  it  doesn't  seem  to  be  needed. 
This  is  surely  pairing  time,  for  you  three  young  men  seem  to 
be  all  choosing  mates.  Eunice,  Helena,  Zoe  !  Maurice,  when 
your  old  tutor  arrives,  we  must  have  a  triple  marriage." 

"We've  got  to  drive  away  Alcibiades  first,  uncle." 

"No  doubt;  but  that,  though  difficult,  is  not  impossible." 

"  I  hope  not.  Crispin,  wake  up,  sir !  You  are  thinking 
about  Eunice  again." 

"  Indeed  I  am  not,"  answered  Crispin,  with  some  dismay. 
"  I  am  thinking  of  my  revolver,  which  I  have  left  behind  at 
the  Acropolis." 

"There's  a  warrior  for  you,"  said  the  Demarch,  with  a 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  377 

hearty  laugh  ;  "  he  forgets  the  moderD  substitute  for  a  shield. 
Well,  m}'-  lad,  as  your  revolver  is  an  important  matter,  you 
had  better  go  back  and  get  it." 

Crispin  jumped  gayly  to  his  feet. 

''  I'll  go  at  once,'^  he  said,  putting  on  his  sombrero ;  "  but 
I  hope  the  battle  will  not  begin  without  me." 

"  I  think  you  may  make  up  your  mind  there  will  be  no 
row  till  dawn,  sir,"  said  Dick,  who  was  peering  between  the 
bars  of  the  palisade ;  "  there  would  not  be  all  that  kick-up 
going  on  down  there  if  they  meant  business." 

"  In  that  case,"  observed  Maurice,  rising  slowly,  "  I  think 
I'll  go  back  for  your  revolver,  Crispin." 

"  Or  for  your  heart,"  replied  the  poet,  laughing. 

"Oh,  I  don't  wish  to  bring  that  back,  especially  in  war- 
time.    It  is  safer  with  Helena.     Uncle,  can  I  go  ?  " 

"By  all  means.  I  agree  with  Dick,  and  do  not  think 
there  is  any  chance  of  a  night  attack.  However,  you  had 
better  make  haste  to  come  back  to  your  post." 

"  So  Paris  flies  harsh  war's  alarms 
For  dalliance  in  fair  Helen's  arms." 

"  Crispin,  keep  your  rude  couplets  to  yourself,  or  I'll  for- 
get to  bring  back  your  revolver.  Adieu,  gentlemen.  I  will 
return  anon." 

Maurice  stalked  away  up  the  gorge,  like  a  tragedy  actor, 
much  to  the  amusement  of  Justinian.  Indeed,  this  light- 
hearted,  desultory  conversation  did  a  good  deal  to  keep  up 
their  spirits,  and,  in  spite  of  the  serious  danger  at  their 
gates,  all  the  Englishmen  were  wonderfully  merry.  It  is 
characteristic  of  the  British,  that,  if  they  take  their  pleas- 
ures solemnly,  they  keep  the  balance  even  by  being  gay  in 
the  presence  of  danger,  and  he  who  doubts  the  truth  of  this 
statement  has  only  to  read  Kinglake's  account  of  the  battle 
of  the  Alma,  in  order  to  assure  himself  of  its  truth. 

As  before  mentioned,  the  gorge  was  very  dark,  but  Mau- 
rice knew  every  inch  of  the  way,  and,  being  sure-footed  as  a 
goat,  never  stumbled  in  his  step,  but  strode  merrily  along  in 
the  darkness,  whistling  "  Garryowen."  It  was  curious,  amid 
all  this  Greek  life,  revival  of  paganism,  and  piratical  inva- 
sion, to  hear  the  quaint  Irish  air,  but  Maurice  found  it  an 
admirable  melody  to  which  to  march,  and  moved  his  legs  so 
rapidly  to  the  tune,  that  in  a  very  short  space  of  time  he 
emerged  from  the  pass  into  the  moonlit  road  skirting  the 
crater. 


378  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

It  was  only  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  the 
moon,  full  and  round,  burned  like  a  lamp  in  the  sky  near  the 
Milky  Way,  which  she  Avas  slowly  drawing  near.  Brightly 
gleamed  Sirius  amid  the  feebler  twinkle  of  minor  stars,  and 
eastward  like  a  ruby  glittered  ]\[ars,  the  planet  of  the  soldier, 
foreboding  war  and  blood.  The  wind  gently  moved  the 
branches  of  the  mulberry-trees  above  the  head  of  the  pe- 
destrian, and,  moderating  his  pace,  he  strolled  lazily  along  the 
shadow-strewn  road,  while  the  nightingales  sang  in  every 
thicket,  thrilling  his  heart  with  their  delicious  notes. 

Soon,  however,  another  song  mingled  with  theirs,  a  strange, 
wild  melody,  which,  chanted  in  a  clear,  high  voice,  arose  and 
fell  sadly  in  the  chill  moonlight ;  then  an  imploring  chorus 
of  voices  sounded  in  unison.  Again  the  one  singer  cried  in 
an  appealing  manner ;  then  silence  and  the  hurried  notes  of 
the  hidden  birds. 

Curious  to  know  the  meaning  of  this  strange  singing, 
Maurice  walked  rapidly  onward,  bounded  up  the  steps  of  the 
Acropolis,  and  entered  into  the  vestibule.  The  music,  shrill 
and  fitful,  sounded  close  at  hand,  so,  stealthily  approaching 
the  curtains  hanging  before  the  entrance  of  the  court,  Koy- 
lands  peered  in,  to  discover  the  reason  of  such  fantastic  mel- 
odies. He  was  evidently  disturbing  the  mysteries  of  the 
Bona  Dea,  for  the  court  was  thronged  with  women,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  engaged  in  the  performance  of  some  rite  —  a 
kind  of  invocation  to  the  moon,  which  appeared  shining 
brilliantly  in  the  sky  through  the  hypaethral  opening  of  the 
building. 

A  small  brazier  filled  with  burning  coals,  and  elevated  on 
a  tripod,  stood  near  the  fountain,  before  which  stood  Helena, 
in  her  long  white  robe,  with  loosely  flowing  hair  and  slender 
arms  outstretched  towards  the  serene  planet  above.  Around 
the  court  knelt  a  number  of  Melnosian  women  in  their  long 
chitons  ;  but  Maurice's  eyes  were  fastened  on  that  beautiful 
central  figure  which  stood  so  motionless  before  the  tripod. 
The  moonlight  softly  fell  on  her  lovely  upturned  face,  on 
her  snowy  robe,  her  milky  arms,  and  touched  with  chilly 
beam  the  disordered  gold  of  her  hair.  Maurice,  who  felt 
that  he  was  looking  on  at  some  ceremony  not  meant  for  mas- 
culine eyes,  would  have  stepped  forward  and  announced  his 
presence,  but  at  that  moment,  Helena  broke  out  into  a  song 
so  wild  and  thrilling,  that  he  involuntarily  paused  in  amaze- 
ment. The  words  were  in  Greek,  but  he  was  now  sufficiently 
master  of  the   language  to   understand   them.     They  were 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  379 

evidently  some  antique  invocation  to  the  inviolate  Artemis, 
and  he  wondered  where  she  could  have  discovered  thera, 
as  they  rippled  from  her  lips,  rising  and  falling  with  fitful 
sobbings,  like  the  voice  of  some  complaining  wind  on  a  lonely 
beach. 

HELENA. 

Oh,  waning  moon!  why  hidest  thou  thy  face? 
Fair  is  the  night,  but  less  fair  than  my  lover  absent; 
Unveil  thyself  from  the  jealous  cloud-woof, 
And  thou  wilt  see  how  fair  is  he  I  worship. 

CHORUS. 

O  Dian!  sun  of  the  lovers'  night,I  call  thee. 

HELENA. 

Thou  canst  control  the  tides  of  ocean, 
The  tides  obedient,  who  are  slaves  to  thee, 
Surely  then  thou  canst  control  the  heart  of  my  lover, 
And  make  him  long  to  return  to  my  arms  so  loving. 

CHORUS. 

O  Baalit !  mistress  of  the  tides,  I  call  thee. 

HELENA. 

Save  him  from  danger,  for  he  is  daring,  my  lover, 

He  rides  the  surges  of  battle  as  thou  ridest  the  flying  clouds. 

Save  him,  Tanith! 

And  bring  him  safely  to  the  arms  of  her  who  calleth. 

CHORUS. 

O  Ashtoreth !  thou  also  hast  loved !  I  call  thee. 

At  this  moment,  Helena  took  something  from  her  bosorn, 
and,  throwing  a  few  grains  of  incense  on  the  coals,  held  it 
in  the  thick  white  smoke  which  arose.  Afterwards  she  ad- 
vanced to  the  fountain  and  dipped  it  thrice,  singing  all  the 
time  that  strange  melody. 

HELENA. 

This  amber  heart  I  place  in  the  rising  odors, 
So  that  thy  virtues  may  pass  into  it; 

Thrice  do  I  dip  it  in  lustrous  water  in  which  thou  hast  beheld 
thine  image; 


380  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

For  thus  will  it  draw  the  magic  from  thy  breast, 

On  my  lover's  neck  will  I  place  it —  on  his  beating  heart  will  it  rest, 

And  it  will  save  him  when  red  rmis  the  blood  of  battle. 


CHORUS. 

Hecate !  controller  of  spells,  I  call  thee. 

When  slie  ended,  ttie  chorus  of  women  arose  to  their  feet, 
and  slowly  filed  out  of  one  of  the  side  doors,  leaving  the 
court  empty,  and  Helena  still  standing  by  the  brazier, 
from  whence  the  burning  incense  still  rolled  skyward. 
Maurice,  quite  astonished  at  this  strange  scene  of  magical 
incantation,  stole  quietly  forward,  and,  looking  over  her 
shoulder,  saw  that 'she  was  gazing  at  the  amber  heart,  which 
she  had  converted  into  an  amulet  by  her  moon  spells. 

"  Helena ! " 

She  turned  with  a  cry  of  astonishment,  and  then  fell  into 
his  arms  with  a  joyous  laugh. 

"  Oh,  Maurice !  my  dearest !  my  darling !  Are  the  old 
stories  true,  and  have  my  spells  drawn  you  back  to  my 
side  ?  " 

She  was  much  excited,  so  Maurice  drew  her  gently  to  one 
of  the  chairs  near  the  fountain,  and,  placing  her  therein, 
knelt  at  her  feet,  smoothing  her  two  hands,  which  he  held 
between  his  own,  to  quieten  her  alarm  at  his  sudden  appear- 
anjce. 

"  My  dearest  Helena,  I  came  back  to  fetch  Crispin's  re- 
volver, which  he  has  left  behind.  Hearing  you  singing,  I 
looked  in." 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Helena,  with  a  blush ;  "  and  what  did  you 
see  ?  " 

"Nothing  very  dreadful,"  he  replied,  laughing,  "I  only 
saw  a  symposium  of  women,  and  felt  like  Clodius  surveying 
the  mysteries  of  the  Bona  Dea.  What  on  earth  were  you 
doing  ?  " 

"  Oh,  it  was  only  a  game,  Maurice,"  she  replied,  burying 
her  head  on  his  shoulder.  "  I  am  ashamed  you  should  have 
seen  me  acting  so  childishly,  but,  the  fact  is,  there  is  a 
woman  here  who  told  me  about  it." 

"  About  what  ?  " 

"This  incantation  to  the  moon.  In  spite  of  father's  being 
so  particular  about  purity  of  blood,  some  of  the  women  are 
of  Arab  descent.     This  one  who  told  me  how  to  make  a  tal- 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  381 

isman,  comes  from  Africa,  and,  I  believe,  is  a  descendant  of 
the  old  Carthaginians." 

"  Nonsense  I  they  were  all  stamped  out  by  the  Romans. 
Well,  what  about  this  modern  Dido  ?  " 

"  Well,  she  saw  how  anxious  I  was  about  you,  and  told  me 
if  I  invoked  the  moon,  and  bathed  some  small  article  in 
moon-water  and  incense,  it  would  become  endowed  with 
powerful  virtues,  and  protect  its  wearer  from  danger." 

"  You  foolish  child  !  "  said  Maurice,  tenderly  stroking  her 
loose  hair ;  "  and  was  all  this  mummery  on  my  account  ?  " 

"Yes;  but  if  you  laugh  at  it,  the  talisman  will  lose  its 
power." 

'•  Then  I'll  be  as  grave  as  a  judge.  Where  is  this  wonder- 
ful amulet?" 

Helena  held  out  the  amber  heart  which  lay  in  the  centre 
of  her  little  white  palm,  from  which  Maurice  lifted  it  dain- 
tily, and  pressed  his  mustache  against  her  hand. 

"  And  am  I  to  wear  this  ?  " 

"  Round  your  neck." 

"  But  there  is  nothing  to  fasten  it  there." 

"Oh  dear  me,  I  must  get  some  string,  or  silk,  or  —  Oh," 
she  cried,  struck  with  a  sudden  thought,  "have  you  a 
knife  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Then  lend  me  your  sword." 

"'  What !  are  you  going  to  cut  my  head  off  for  overlooking 
your  Bona  Dea  ceremonies  ?  "  he  said  laughingly,  drawing 
the  keen  weapon  from  its  sheath. 

For  answer,  she  arose  to  her  feet,  and  shook  the  loose  gold 
of  her  hair  over  her  shoulders.  Carefully  selecting  one  long 
tress,  she  smoothed  it  down  with  her  hands,  and  held  it  out 
towards  her  lover. 

'•'  Cut  it  off." 

"  What !  your  beautiful  hair ! "  cried  Maurice,  who  stood 
before  her  with  his  sword  gleaming  in  the  moonlight.  "  Oh, 
Helena,  I  could  not  do  that." 

"  Then  give  me  your  sword,  and  I'll  do  it  myself." 

"  My  dearest,  you  would  hurt  yourself.  Why  do  you  want 
to  cut  this  lock  ?  " 

"  To  make  a  chain  for  the  heart." 

"There's  a  chain  round  my  heart  already,"  said  her  lover, 
still  hesitating.     "  Won't  it  spoil  your  hair  ?  " 

"  Maurice  !  how  tiresome  you  are  !     Cut  it  off  at  once." 

She  stamped  her  foot  with  pretty  petulance,  so,  seeing  she 


382  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

was  obstinate,  he  carefully  sheared  off  the  tress  close  to  her 
head.  This  being  done,  she  shook  her  locks  over  the  shorn 
place,  and,  sitting  down  in  her  chair  once  more,  began  to 
weave  the  shining  hair  into  a  delicate  chain. 

"  You  silly  child,  making  me  despoil  you  of  your  glory  !  " 
said  ]\raurice,  touched  by  her  action.  ''There,  let  me  put 
my  sword  up  again,  and  I  will  help  you." 

"  Hold  the  end  of  the  chain  then,  and  do  not  talk,  or  you 
will  break  the  charm." 

Maurice,  sheathing  his  sword,  knelt  down  before  her.  and, 
taking  one  end  of  the  glittering  coil  daintily  between  finger 
and  thumb,  watched  her  weaving  the  threads  rapidly  together, 
crooning  the  while  a  strange  old  song  in  a  low  voice. 

"Weave  the  threads  of  golden  hair, 

Golden  future  also  weaving. 
Happy  be  thy  fortunes  fair. 

Plenteous  joy  but  scanty  grieving. 
In  and  out,  and  out  and  in, 
Thus  thy  coming  life  I  spin. 

Bind  the  chain  to  golden  heart, 

Golden  heart  to  thee  be  binding, 
Meet  together  ne'er  to  part. 

Love  will  come  with  little  finding. 
In  and  out  and  out  and  in, 
Thus  thy  future  life  I  spin." 

"  There  !  "  said  Helena,  having  finished  the  chain  ;  "  now  let 
me  tie  up  the  ends  —  give  me  the  heart." 

"  My  heart  ?  " 

"  1  have  that  already,"  she  answered  mischievously.  '-  The 
amber  heart,  please ;  I  must  bind  it  to  the  chain." 

"  Where  did  you  learn  that  song  ?  " 

^'  I  made  it  up  all  by  myself,"  said  Helena  triumphantly, 
dangling  the  chain  before  him.  ''  Do  you  think  that  only 
Crispin  is  a  poet  ?  " 

"^o,  my  Sappho." 

"  There  is  a  chain  of  my  hair  and  a  talisman  attached  to 
keep  you  from  harm,  so  bend  your  head,  my  knight,  and  I 
will  give  it  to  you." 

Maurice,  entering  into  tlie  spirit  of  her  charming  humor, 
bowed  his  head,  over  which  she  flung  the  slender  chain  of 
hair,  then,  kissing  him  on  the  forehead,  leaned  back  and 
clapped  her  hands  gayly. 

"  There  !  now  you  are  safe.  Nothing  can  harm  you  while 
you  wear  that." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  383 

"  Nothing  can  harm  me  while  I  think  of  you/^  he  whis- 
pered tenderly,  taking  her  in  his  arms  ;  "  your  love  is  my 
safeguard  both  in  peace  and  war." 

"Oh  dear  me!"  sighed  Helena,  as  she  pillowed  her  head 
on  his  shoulder ;  "  what  nonsense  it  is,  Maurice  !  Still,  it's 
very  pleasant  nonsense." 

''  Very  pleasant." 

"  And  I  am  very  nice  ?  " 

"You  are  very  vain,"  he  said,  kissing  her  and  rising  to  his 
feet.     "  There,  you  charming  sorceress  !  " 

"  A  new  Circe." 

"Precisely;  but  I  must  not  stay  with  Circe  any  longer. 
Let  me  go  to  Crispin's  room  for  his  revolver,  and  then  good- 
by.'^ 

As  quickly  as  possible  he  ran  into  the  poet's  bedroom,  and 
found  the  weapon  on  the  bed,  where  the  neglectful  poet  had 
left  it.  Slipping  it  into  his  belt,  he  came  back  to  say  good- 
by  to  Helena. 

"  Now  mind  you  go  to  bed,  dear,"  he  said,  kissing  her 
tenderly  ;  "  no  more  magical  ceremonies  to-night." 

"No,  I  will  go  to  bed.  Oh,  do  take  care  of  yourself, 
Maurice ! " 

"  I  will,  both  for  your  sake  and  my  own.  Besides,  your 
talisman." 

Helena  threw  her  arms  impulsively  round  his  neck. 

"  I  give  you  the  talisman,  and  I  give  you  my  love." 

He  bent  down  and  kissed  her,  then  without  a  word  went 
away  into  the  moonlit  night  on  his  way  to  battle,  and  perhaps 
—  death. 


384  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

A    MODERN    THERMOPYLiE. 

In  the  gap  say  fifty  fighters  waiting  for  the  coming  shock, 
Guns  and  sabres,  pikes  and  bayonets  holding  tight, 
And  two  hundred  stormers  dashing  up,  like  surges  on  a  rock, 
With  a  grim  determination  for  their  foes'  extermination 
In  the  fight. 

Clash  of  weapons,  cannon's  thunder,  and  the  rifle's  deadly  crack, 

Mingle  fiercely  with  the  shrieking  of  the  wounded  in  their  pain, 

Till,  in  spite  of  all  their  toiling. 

Valor  stanch  their  efforts  foiling, 

Down  the  slope  again  recoiling, 

Reels  the  shattered  column  back, 

All  their  dauntlessness  in  vain, 

And  the  battle-ground  is  cumbered  with  a  multitude  unnumbered 

Of  the  slain. 

At  the  first  flush  of  dawn  in  the  gray  eastern  skies,  the 
Melnosians  were  on  the  alert  and  ready  for  the  fight.  Owing 
to  the  early  hour,  and  the  fact  of  their  having  passed  the 
night  in  the  open  air,  many  of  the  men  were  shivering  with 
cold,  on  noticing  which,  Justinian  ordered  hot  coffee  to  be 
served  out  all  round.  They  also  took  a  light  meal,  then 
went  through  a  few  evolutions  on  the  narrow  space  of  their 
bivouac  ground,  which  suppled  their  limbs,  and  sent  the 
lethargic  blood  once  more  speeding  rapidly  through  their 
veius.  Both  Crispin  and  ]\[aurice  felt  somewhat  stiff,  espe- 
cially the  latter,  owing  to  his  wound,  but  the  hot  coffee,  the 
food,  and  an  indulgence  in  a  few  gymnastic  exercises  soon 
brought  them  back  to  their  normal  condition  of  physical 
fitness.  Unlike  their  less  seasoned  frames,  Justinian's  iron 
constitution  never  seemed  to  feel  the  strain  to  which  it  was 
subjected,  and,  in  spite  of  his  years,  he  was  as  brisk  and 
active  as  the  youngest  member  of  his  band. 

As  it  was  imperative  that  this  outer  defence  should  be 
held  against  all  odds,  owing  to  the  proximity  of  the  side 
path,  the  Demarch  had  the  two  cannons  which  were  planted 
inside  the  second  barricade  brought  down  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible, and  placed  them  on  either  side  of  the  entrance  to  the 
gorge,  in  order  to  sweep  down  the  enemy  as  they  dashed  up 
the  sloping  ground  from  the  beach.  Their  muzzles,  protrud- 
ing from  the  earthworks,  could  pour  confusion  into  the  ranks 
of  the  stormers  in  a  most  effective  fashion,  especially  as  they 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  385 

were  loaded  with  grape-shot,  which  woukl  scatter  widely  in 
the  discharge.  As  in  the  tunnel  palisade,  a  thick  wall  of  turf 
was  built  half-way  up  against  the  beams,  while  on  this  sand- 
bags and  gabions,  with  loopholes  for  the  rifle  barrels,  were 
also  laid.  The  whole  front  of  the  battery  was  therefore 
bristling  with  danger  to  the  besiegers,  while  the  garrison, 
intrenched  behind  their  outworks,  were  in  comparative 
safety.  The  inner  palisade  farther  up  the  pass  was  defended 
in  a  similar  manner,  saving  in  the  matter  of  cannon ;  but 
Justinian  determined  to  use  his  best  endeavors  finally  to 
crush  the  enemy  in  his  present  position,  so  as  to  do  away 
with  the  danger  of  their  gaining  possession  of  the  side  path 
which  led  into  the  heart  of  the  island. 

Directly  in  front  of  the  battery,  the  ground  sloped  away 
down  to  the  beach  in  a  gentle  declivity,  and  up  this  a  wind- 
ing road  was  cut  by  slight  gradations  which  afforded  a  suffi- 
ciently easy  approach.  Still,  so  undisciplined  were  the  troops 
of  Alcibiades,  that  the  Demarch  thought,  instead  of  march- 
ing along  the  road  in  a  regular  line,  they  would  scramble 
confusedly  upward  either  by  the  path  or  by  the  slope,  so  that 
his  guns  could  play  on  their  scattered  ranks  with  deadly 
effect. 

Maurice  and  his  uncle  took  their  field-glasses  up  to  the 
point  of  vantage  above  the  side  path,  from  whence  they 
could  survey  the  preparations  of  the  enemy,  who  were  now 
deploying  in  irregular  lines  under  the  amateur  leadership  of 
Alcibiades  and  the  traitor  Greek.  Justinian  laughed  con- 
temptuously as  he  saw  the  confusion  into  which  Caliphronas 
was  throwing  his  men,  and,  without  removing  the  glass  from 
his  eyes,  remarked  on  this  bad  generalship  to  Maurice. 

"  I  always  thought  Andros  had  a  certain  amount  of  brains, 
but,  seeing  what  a  mess  he  is  making  of  things  after  all  my 
training,  I  am  wrong  in  believing  him  capable  of  anything 
except  grinning  in  the  mirror." 

"  Well,  he  has  very  bad  soldiers,  uncle.  They  seem  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  simplest  rules  of  discipline." 

"And  no  wonder!  The  very  scum  of  the  Levant.  Peas- 
ants, sailors,  Turkish  scamps,  and  stupid  islanders.  Still, 
even  out  of  the  most  hopeless  materials  a  good  commander 
can  form  a  disciplined  corps,  and  I  am  sure  they  have  had 
plenty  of  time  to  drill  their  men ;  but  Andros  has  not  the 
slightest  capability  for  military  matters.  As  for  Alci- 
biades "  — 

The  Demarch's  opinion  of  Alcibiades'  generalship  was  so 


386  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

bad  that  he  could  not  find  words  sufficiently  contemptuous 
to  express  his  scorn ;  but  as  at  this  moment  the  enemy  began 
to  move  irregularly  towards  the  road  which  led  to  the  mouth 
of  the  pass,  he  shut  up  his  glass  and  went  down  to  his  men, 
followed  by  Maurice. 

"The  dance  is  about  to  begin,"  said  Crispin,  when  the 
garrison  were  all  in  order  at  their  several  posts.  *'  I  expect 
it  will  be  a  merry  one." 

"  Faith  !  we  will  be  the  pipers,"  replied  Justinian  grimly, 
pointing  to  his  cannon  ;  "  they  will  caper  gayly  enough  when 
these  play  the  tune." 

"We  had  better  lose  no  time  in  beginning  then,"  said 
Maurice,  who  was  looking  at  the  approaching  enemy,  "  for 
here  come  the  dancers." 

As  Justinian  had  foreseen,  the  stormers,  instead  of  ad- 
vancing by  the  road  in  a  compact  body,  and  thus  neutraliz- 
ing the  danger  of  the  opening  fire,  rushed  irregularly  up  the 
slope  in  hopeless  confusion,  yelling  wildly  in  order  to  keep 
up  their  courage. 

"  Scum  !  "  cried  Justinian  scornfully,  as  he  saw  the  motley 
crowd  climbing  upward.     "  Give  it  'em,  lads  !  " 

Dick  presided  over  one  of  the  guns,  Gurt  at  the  other,  as 
both  of  them,  having  been  in  the  English  navy,  knew  all  the 
necessary  business  for  loading,  adjusting  the  sight,  and  firing 
the  cannon.  The  Demarch's  finances  had  not  run  to  the 
expense  of  importing  cannon  of  the  new  type,  so  these  brass 
guns  were  somewhat  old-fashioned;  still,  loaded  with  grape- 
shot,  they  were  very  effective  when  fired,  especially  when 
sighted  with  considerable  science  by  the  old  men-of-war's-men. 

Up  came  the  enemy,  shrieking  like  fiends,  and  broken 
into  irregular  bands,  dotting  the  green  slope  with  patches  of 
blue  topped  by  the  red  of  their  Turkish  headgear.  Dick, 
who  was  to  fire  first,  waited  till  they  were  within  an  easy  dis- 
tance, and  then  put  the  lighted  match  to  the  touch-hole  of 
his  cannon.  There  was  a  roar  as  the  deadly  grape-shot 
splashed  among  the  advancing  crowd,  and  then  a  shriek  of 
rage  as  the  column  reeled,  wavered,  and  for  the  moment 
paused.  Encouraged  by  Alcibiades,  they  still  advanced, 
only  to  be  mown  down  by  the  dozen  with  the  discharge  of 
Gurt's  cannon,  upon  which,  dismayed  at  the  carnage,  they 
retreated  down  the  hill  in  confusion,  leaving  the  ground 
thick  with  the  slain. 

On  seeing  this,  the  sailors  set  up  a  hearty  British  cheer, 
in  which  all  joined  but  Justinian,  who  smiled  grimly  at  the 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  387 

effective  work  done  by  his  guns.  Alcibiades  was  stamping 
with  rage,  for  his  little  scheme  of  firing  the  barricade,  as 
on  the  previous  occasion,  was  quite  impracticable,  owing  to 
those  deadly  muzzles  which  gaped  through  the  palisade. 

With  considerable  caution,  however,  he  scattered  his  men 
so  as  to  avert  the  danger  of  huddled  masses  being  cut  down 
by  the  grape-shot,  and  kept  up  a  continuous  fire  at  the  frown- 
ing front  of  the  battery.  The  Melnosians  returned  the  fire 
with  their  Martini-Henry  rifles,  and  managed  to  pick  off  a 
few  of  the  sharp-shooters,  while,  protected  by  their  gabions, 
they  managed  to  escape  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man  ; 
for  the  bullets  either  buried  themselves  with  a  dull  thud  in 
the  sand-bags  or  else  went  ripping  above  their  heads  to 
flatten  themselves  harmlessly  against  the  lava  walls  of  the 
pass. 

"They  can't  last  long  against  our  cannon,  uncle,"  said 
Maurice,  who  was  watching  Dick  reloading  his  gun ;  "  that 
first  dash  has  lost  them  nearly  twenty  men." 

"It  will  take  some  time  to  polish  off  two  hundred,"  re- 
plied Justinian,  who  had  his  glass  to  his  eyes ;  "'  besides, 
Alcibiades  has  some  scheme  in  his  head.  All  this  sharp- 
shooting  is  done  to  divert  our  attention.     I  thought  so  ! " 

"  What's  up  now  ?  " 

"  He's  bringing  up  a  field-piece  to  that  hill." 

"  The  deuce  !  "  cried  Maurice,  hastily  focussing  his  glasses. 
"  We  must  silence  that.  Dick,  do  you  think  you  could  bring 
one  of  the  guns  to  bear  on  that  hill  to  the  right  ?  " 

Dick,  after  some  consideration,  thought  he  could,  and  did ; 
for,  with  the  assistance  of  his  sailors,  he  wheeled  round  the 
gun-carriage  to  an  angle  of  thirty-five  degrees,  so  as  to  bring 
the  muzzle  of  his  piece  in  a  direct  line  with  the  conical- 
shaped  mound  up  which  the  enemy  were  dragging  their  bat- 
tery. This  hill,  which  was  slightly  to  the  right  of  the  pass, 
would  have  been  utilized  long  before  for  his  guns  by  any 
able  commander ;  but  not  until  the  loss  of  twenty  men  had 
taught  Alcibiades  experience,  did  he  think  of  making  use  of 
the  position.  The  crest  of  the  mound  was  slightly  lower 
than  the  palisade  ;  but,  by  depressing  the  muzzle  of  his  gun, 
Dick  got  a  fair  opportunity  of  disabling  the  battery  of  the 
enemy.  Owing  to  their  numbers,  they  soon  succeeded  in 
dragging  the  field-piece  up  to  the  top,  and,  placing  it  in  posi- 
tion, raised  the  mouth  slightly,  so  as  to  aim  at  the  upper  part 
of  the  barricade.  Just  as  they  were  preparing  to  fire,  Dick, 
who  had  loaded  with  round  shot,  discharged  his  cannon,  and 


888  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

the  great  mass  of  iron  went  hurtling  viciously  through  the 
air. 

"Badly  aimed,  Dick/'  said  Maurice,  who  had  his  glasses 
up.  "  Your  eye  is  not  quite  in.  Look  out,  they  are  return- 
ing the  compliment." 

There  was  a  puff  of  smoke,  a  sudden  flash,  an  infinitesimal 
pause,  and  a  ball  came  ripping  along  at  tremendous  speed, 
only  to  strike  the  ground  in  front  of  the  battery,  and  ricochet 
harmlessly  down  the  hill. 

"  Their  gunner  isn't  much  better  than  myself,  sir,"  cried 
Dick,  carefully  training  the  sight  of  his  piece ;  "  but  I  won't 
miss  this  time." 

His  aim  was  much  better,  for  the  second  shot,  while  not 
touching  the  cannon,  knocked  over  two  men  standing  near, 
who  dropped  down  quickly  over  the  brow  of  the  hill. 

"  Egad !  I  wish  those  two  had  been  the  leaders,"  said  Jus- 
tinian cheerfully  ;  "  both  the  scamps  are  there.  Here's  the 
return  fire." 

This  time  the  ball  struck  the  palisade  fair  in  the  top  cen- 
tre, and  smashed  down  several  of  the  cross-beams.  The 
sharp-shooters,  seeing  this,  gave  a  cry  of  triumph,  which  was 
echoed  by  those  on  the  hill,  and  the  gunner  rapidly  loaded 
again,  so  as  to  follow  up  the  advantage  gained.  Dick,  how- 
ever, was  already  prepared,  and  before  the  cannon  of  the 
enemy  could  be  fired  again,  a  shot  from  his  gun  struck  it  on 
the  carriage,  causing  it  to  fall  out  of  position.  The  besiegers 
set  at  once  to  work  about  restoring  it  to  its  former  level ;  but 
by  this  time  Gurt  also  had  directed  his  gun  towards  the  bat- 
tery, and  shot  after  shot  from  the  two  cannon  followed  so 
rapidly  that  in  a  short  time  the  enemy  had  to  vacate  their 
position. 

"I  wish  I  could  make  a  dash,  and  spike  that  gun,"  said 
Maurice,  as  the  Melnosians  cheered  loudly. 

"  You'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort,  sir,"  replied  Justinian 
sharply.  "  I  don't  want  to  run  the  chance  of  losing  you 
again.  Besides,  Alcibiades  is  going  to  make  a  dash  for  the 
gate." 

"  Old  fool !  "  said  Crispin  scornfully.  "  He  can't  bring  his 
men  up  against  our  guns." 

"  He's  going  to  try,  at  all  events,  as  he  evidently  thinks 
his  shot  has  told  heavily  on  our  defences."   . 

All  this  time  there  was  a  constant  flash,  flash,  flash  along 
the  line  of  sharp-shooters,  as  they  kept  up  a  continuous  fire ; 
and,  in  spite  of  all  precautions,  two  Melnosians  were  killed. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  389 

Under  cover  of  this  musketry  it  was  apparent  that  Alcibiades 
was  about  to  make  a  dash ;  but,  having  learned  a  lesson  from 
the  previous  advance,  he  led  his  men  along  the  right  side, 
close  under  the  cliffs,  where  the  cannon  could  not  reach  them. 
fUistinian  saw  this  manoeuvre,  and,  rapidly  serving  out  fresh 
ammunition,  told  his  men  to  be  in  readiness. 

Kound  the  right  corner  of  the  battery  came  a  furious 
crowd,  headed  by  a  huge  negro,  for  Alcibiades  had  no  liking 
for  heading  such  a  forlorn  hope.  The  attack  was  received 
by  the  garrison  with  a  volley  from  their  muskets ;  but,  in 
spite  of  many  dropping  off  dead  and  wounded,  the  besiegers 
still  continued  to  struggle  fiercely  up  the  outward  beams,  in 
order  to  reach  the  upper  gap  made  by  the  cannon.  The 
sharp- shooters  had,  of  course,  to  cease  fire,  lest  they  should 
hit  their  comrades ;  and,  seeing  that  they  had  swarmed  up 
nearly  to  the  top  of  the  barrier,  ran  forward  to  help  them. 
The  Melnosians,  in  two  lines,  one  kneeling,  the  other  stand- 
ing at  the  back,  fired  continuously  at  the  writhing  mass, 
while  those  behind  the  gabions  stabbed  with  bayonet  and 
cutlass  with  right  good  will.  Both  cannon  were  discharged, 
cutting  two  lanes  of  blood  through  the  furious  throng ;  yet, 
notwithstanding  their  losses,  the  stormers  still  stuck  to  their 
intention,  and  it  became  evident  that  nothing  now  remained 
to  the  garrison  but  to  beat  them  back  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight. 

One  pirate  leaped  from  the  parapet  through  the  gap,  but 
was  speedily  despatched  by  a  bayonet-thrust  in  the  chest. 
Others,  however,  followed  like  a  flock  of  sheep,  and  there 
was  little  doubt  but  that  the  Melnosians  would  have  been 
driven  back  had  they  not  been  so  expert  in  the  use  of  the 
bayonet.  Justinian,  an  old  army  man,  had  taught  them  the 
exercise  splendidly,  and,  raising  the  bayonets  first  high, 
and  then  back  over  the  right  shoulder,  their  weapons  told  in 
every  thrust ;  so  they  were  thus  enabled  to  keep  the  foe  at 
bay. 

While  the  top  of  the  barrier  was  thus  being  assaulted,  a 
number  of  men,  under  Caliphronas,  were  hacking  away  at 
the  lower  beams ;  for,  unwilling  to  harm  his  men,  Alcibiades 
refrained  from  setting  fire  to  the  palisade  as  he  had  done 
before.  The  weight  of  the  stormers  on  the  top  made  the 
now  weakened  lower  portion  rock  ominously,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent the  whole  structure  would  soon  be  in  ruins.  When  this 
happened,  the  danger  would  be  imminent,  as  Justinian  knew 
that  the  enemy  far  exceeded  in  numbers  his  own  little  band, 
and,  even  with  the  advantage  of  the  narrow  gorge,  it  was 


390  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

doubtful  if  lie  could  hold  his  ground.  Giving  way,  however, 
meant  that  the  side  path  would  be  left  to  Alcibiades,  and, 
however  bravely  defended,  would  be  certain  to  be  captured 
at  once.  Besides,  he  dared  not  leave  the  guns  in  possession 
of  the  enemy,  as  they  would  at  once  use  them  with  deadly 
effect  against  his  own  men. 

Kendered  reckless  by  despair,  the  Melnosians  fought  like 
demons  against  the  enemy,  and,  though  Alcibiades  hurled 
body  after  body  of  men  against  them,  they  stood  their 
ground,  and  did  not  give  way  one  inch.  At  any  moment, 
however,  the  barrier  might  fall,  and  Justinian  lost  no  time 
in  rendering  the  guns  innocuous,  if  he  were  forced  to  retreat 
up  the  gorge, 

"  Dick  I  Gurt !  spike  the  guns  !  spike  the  guns  !  "  he  roared 
in  English,  and  the  Greeks,  not  understanding  the  language, 
did  not  guess  how  important  was  the  order.  Caliphronas, 
however,  heard  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  barrier,  and  made 
immediate  report  to  Alcibiades,  who  grasped  the  idea  at 
once. 

"  Make  for  the  guns  !  capture  the  guns  !  "  he  yelled  in 
Greek  ;  "  they  will  spike  them  ! " 

A  body  of  men  leaped  down  from  the  parapet  and  made 
for  the  gun  held  by  Dick,  but  Maurice  sprang  in  front  of  it, 
and,  while  the  bos'n  was  busy  putting  in  the  spike,  kept  the 
enemy  at  bay.  He  soon  emptied  his  revolver,  and  thus  had 
to  fight  solely  with  the  sword,  but  the  Demarch,  seeing  his 
danger,  re-enforced  him  with  four  Melnosians,  who  speedily 
beat  back  the  assailants.  However,  Dick's  task  was  accom- 
plished, and,  Gurt  having  also  obeyed  orders,  both  guns  were 
now  spiked  and  perfectly  useless,  should  the  enemy  gain 
possession  of  them.  The  only  danger  remaining  was  the 
side  path,  which,  in  spite  of  its  iron  door,  might  be  forced ; 
so  the  Demarch  and  his  men  stanchly  held  their  ground,  in 
spite  of  the  havoc  which  was  being  made  in  their  ranks  by 
the  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy. 

Fighting  fiercely,  with  obstinate  determination  not  to  give 
way  one  inch,  slowly  but  surely  the  Melnosians  drove  back 
the  stormers  to  the  barrier,  clambering  up  over  the  heaps  of 
slain  in  their  efforts  to  force  the  enemy  to  vacate  their  posi- 
tion. The  air  was  blinding  with  gunpowder  smoke ;  the 
clash  of  the  swords,  the  fierce  shouts  of  the  besiegers,  and 
the  cheers  of  the  Melnosians  created  a  most  infernal  din ; 
but  high  above  this  was  heard  the  crash  of  the  palisade,  as, 
yielding  to  the  axes  of  the  enemy,  it  fell  outward.     Many 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  391 

were  unable  to  retreat  in  time,  owing  to  the  crush  behind,  — 
for  Alcibiades  had  long  ago  given  up  every  attempt  to  keep 
order,  —  and  in  its  fall  a  great  number  were  crushed  to  death, 
while  their  comrades,  not  heeding  their  death  agonies, 
rushed  forward  across  the  platform  thus  formed,  in  order  to 
follow  up  their  advantage  as  s];)eedily  as  possible. 

At  this  critical  juncture  Justinian  bethought  himself  of 
the  stratagem  of  scaring  the  enemy  by  a  fictitious  force,  and 
hastily  bade  Temistocles  to  run  to  the  Acropolis  and  tell  all 
the  women  to  come  down  the  gorge  with  drums  beating  and 
colors  flying.  There  were  plenty  of  kettledrums  and  flags  at 
tlie  Acropolis,  which  Justinian  had  not  cared  to  use,  so  these, 
used  by  the  women  advancing  down  the  pass,  might  inspire 
the  enemy  with  fear  that  re-enforcements  had  arrived.  The 
onl}^  proviso  that  Justinian  made  was  that  the  women,  on 
their  arrival,  should  keep  out  of  musket-shot  and  not  risk 
their  lives. 

Temistocles  sped  away  like  a  deer,  and  Justinian  hastily 
advanced  to  the  front,  in  order  to  assist  Maurice  and  Crispin, 
who  were  both  fighting  with  the  desperation  of  despair. 
The  Melnosians,  two  deep,  extending  right  across  the  gorge, 
and,  being  at  close  quarters,  were  using  their  bayonets  for 
stabbing,  and  their  clubbed  muskets  for  dealing  blows.  The 
sailors  were  almost  in  a  ring  round  Maurice  and  Crispin, 
slashing  away  vigorously  with  their  cutlasses,  cutting  princi- 
pally at  the  faces  and  necks  of  their  assailants,  so  as  not  to 
transhx  their  blades  in  the  bodies,  and  thus  render  them- 
selves defenceless. 

Maurice,  whose  stature  gave  him  considerable  advantage 
over  his  opponents,  was  sweeping  his  sword  as  rapidly  as 
possible  among  the  enemy,  cutting,  thrusting,  slashing,  and 
stabbing ;  but  he  was  much  encumbered  by  one  of  the 
wounded  enemy,  who  was  clutching  his  leg,  and  thus  imped- 
ing his  movements.  Justinian  saw  this,  and,  firing  at  the 
wretch,  knocked  his  brains  out ;  while  Maurice,  thus  freed, 
sprang  resolutely  forward,  followed  by  his  sailors,  in  order 
to  get  at  Alcibiades,  who  was  urging  on  his  men  to  the  attack 
from  the  vantage-ground  of  the  fallen  palisade.  Justinian 
and  Crispin,  thus  left  alone  in  front  of  their  line,  fought 
vigorously  to  keep  back  the  enemy,  while  the  old  Demarch, 
seeing  his  nephew's  aim,  shouted  out  words  of  encourage- 
ment. 

"  Cut  off  the  head  and  the  body  will  follow  ! "  he  cried  in 
English,  then  rapidly  added  in  Greek,  "Close  up,  men!  close 
up !  give  them  no  chance  of  getting  to  the  rear." 


392  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

In  obedience  to  this  command,  as  soon  as  a  man  in  the 
front  rank  fell,  another  stepped  in  from  the  rear  to  fill  up  a 
gap,  or  else  the  foremost  soldiers  closed  up  shoulder  to 
shoulder  so  as  to  preserve  an  unbroken  front.  By  this 
means  they  kept  the  enemy  in  front,  and,  notwithstanding 
the  fierceness  of  the  fight,  held  their  ground  stanchly,  wait- 
ing the  signal  to  advance.  Between  them  and  the  fallen 
palisade  was  a  furious  crowd  heaving  like  a  stormy  sea,  and 
at  the  back  Alcibiades  giving  his  orders,  which,  however, 
were  not  heeded.  Justinian  was  waiting  until  Maurice  killed 
Alcibiades,  when  he  determined  to  advance  with  all  his  force, 
and  thus  drive  the  disheartened  enemy  over  the  verge  of  the 
barrier. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  Maurice  managed  to  fight 
his  way  through  the  crowd,  but,  protected  in  the  rear  by 
Dick  and  his  sailors,  he  at  length  managed  to  get  clear,  and, 
leaping  on  the  parapet,  confronted  Alcibiades,  bare-headed, 
but  weaving  his  sword  with  a  stern  resolve  to  kill  the  pirate. 
Alcibiades  was  no  coward,  but  had  kept  in  the  background, 
as  he  deemed  his  life  too  valuable  to  risk,  as  indeed  it  was, 
for  lacking  a  head  the  invading  army  would  be  worse  than 
useless.  Face  to  face  with  the  Englishman,  however,  he  did 
not  shirk  the  combat,  but,  whirling  his  sword  with  a  fierce 
cry,  dashed  boldly  at  his  enemy.  He  could  not  call  upon  his 
followers  to  aid  him,  as  the  sailors  with  their  cutlasses  kept 
a  clear  ring  for  the  combat ;  so  he  saw  plainly  it  was  a  duel 
to  the  death,  and  one  upon  which  depended  the  whole  issue 
of  the  battle. 

Not  having  the  reach  of  arm  or  the  stature  of  the  English- 
man, he  found  himself  at  considerable  disadvantage,  but 
nevertheless  fought  on  bravely,  and,  adopting  stabbing 
tactics  more  than  slashing,  tried  his  best  to  give  his  oppo- 
nent a  mortal  wound.  Maurice,  however,  having  a  quick 
eye,  was  enabled  to  ward  off  his  blows  by  a  dexterous  use  of 
his  now  emptied  revolver,  and  made  rapid  play  with  his 
sword  firmly  grasped  in  his  right  hand.  The  pirate  captain 
managed  to  wound  him  in  the  left  arm  just  below  the  elbow, 
but  at  that  moment  Maurice  passed  his  sword  through  his 
chest.  Alcibiades,  though  not  fatally  wounded,  gasped  out 
"  Christos  ! "  and  fell  back  over  the  palisade  into  the  outward 
mass  of  his  men,  who  would  have  carried  him  off,  but  Jus- 
tinian, hearing  the  distant  roll  of  a  drum,  and  seeing  that 
Maurice  was  alone  on  the  parapet,  gave  the  order  to  advance. 

On  observing   his    uncle's    action,  Maurice    cried   out  in 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  393 

Greek,  "  Alcibiades  is  dead  ! "  whereupon  the  intervening 
enemy  were  filled  with  alarm,  and  began  to  retreat  before 
the  advancing  Melnosians.  Dick,  the  sailors,  and  Maurice 
leaped  down  to  take  Alcibiades  prisoner,  and,  while  busily 
engaged  in  fighting,  the  whole  inward  crowd,  driven  forward, 
came  rolling  pell-mell  over  the  fallen  barrier,  carrying  those 
who  would  have  fain  stayed  with  them.  Maurice  had  enough 
to  do  to  keep  his  feet  against  the  torreut,  but  managed  to 
divide  it  into  two  streams  with  the  use  of  his  sword  and  the 
aid  of  his  sailors. 

In  another  moment  Justinian  and  Crispin  were  by  his  side, 
and  down  the  slope  fled  the  foe  in  headlong  confusion,  with 
the  Melnosians  in  full  chase. 

"  Keep  together,  men  !  keep  together  ! "  yelled  the  De- 
march,  as  he  raced  down  the  slope  like  a  school-boy  ;  but  the 
Melnosians  had  been  too  long  held  back  to  pay  any  attention 
to  his  orders.  Eight  and  left  fled  the  enemy,  making  for 
the  boats,  but  Gurt,  seeing  this,  tried  to  intercept  them  with 
a  few  sailors.  Unfortunately  he  could  not  run,  owing  to  his 
wound,  so  he  had  to  abandon  the  pursuit,  and  the  foremost 
fugitives  managed  to  get  afloat.  Justinian  had  forbidden  all 
useless  killing,  but  his  islanders,  frenzied  at  the  loss  of  their 
comrades,  and  elated  by  their  victory,  were  quite  beyond 
control.  Those  who  could  not  reach  the  boats  were  slaugh- 
tered on  the  spot,  and  the  Demarch,  in  despair  of  saving  the 
lives  of  any,  could  do  nothing  but  stand  on  the  beach  with 
Maurice  and  Crispin  beside  him.  A  goodly  number  of  the 
fugitives,  however,  were  now  pulling  for  the  open  sea,  among 
them  Caliphronas,  who,  standing  up  in  the  boat,  shook  his 
two  hands  with  despair  on  beholding  the  rout.  In  a  short 
space  of  time,  what  with  the  fierceness  of  the  Melnosians, 
who  gave  no  quarter,  and  the  flight  of  the  fugitives,  there 
remained  not  a  single  enemy  on  the  island,  except  the  wounded 
men  who  had  been  unable  to  fly. 

There  was  a  roll  of  many  drums,  a  shrill  cry  of  delight, 
and,  turning  their  faces  landward,  the  three  men  saw  Helena, 
with  a  company  of  women,  standing  on  the  ruins  of  the  pali- 
sade. The  setting  sun  illumined  the  group,  and,  grasping 
the  staff  whence  floated  the  victorious  folds  of  the  Union 
Jack,  she  seemed  to  be  the  Goddess  of  Victory  come  down 
to  sanctify  with  her  presence  the  triumph  of  the  Melnosians. 
Her  women  behind  her,  the  blackened  ruins  of  the  barrier 
beneath  her  feet,  and  the  Englishmen  below  on  the  beach, 
she  lifted  up  the  staff  proudly,  and  the  great  flag  flung  out 


894  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

its  miglity  folds  to  the  breeze,  as  if  it  too  rejoiced  in  the 
triumph  of  success.  The  three  Englishmen's  hearts  thrilled 
with  patriotic  pride  as  they  saw  the  symbol  of  victory  flaunt- 
ing in  the  wind,  and  the  British  sailors,  uncovering  their 
heads,  saluted  the  invincible  flag  with  three  ringing  cheers. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

A    COUNCIL    OF    WAR. 

The  snake  is  scotched,  but  is  not  dead, 

Beware  !  the  snare  ! 
Soon  will  it  lift  again  its  head, 

Beware  !  nor  dare  ! 
The  fangs  contain  their  poison  still, 
The  wounded  creature  yet  may  kill, 

Beware  !  take  care  ! 

With  cautious  speech,  good  council  take, 

Beware !  the  snare ! 
Nor  trust  the  seeming  lifeless  snake, 

Beware!  nor  dare! 
For  unexpected  it  may  spring, 
And  slay  thee  with  its  venomed  sting, 

Beware!  take  care! 

The  immediate  danger  w^as  over,  but  Justinian  was  by  no 
means  inclined  to  think  that,  even  with  the  death  of  Alci- 
biades,  the  island  would  be  left  in  peace,  particularly  as  Cali- 
phronas  was  still  alive.  That  the  foiled  Greek  would  tamely 
submit  to  be  beaten  thus,  was  out  of  the  question,  and  the 
Demarch  was  quite  certain  that  he  would  again  gather  an 
army  to  assault  Melnos.  If  such  an  event  took  place,  mat- 
t<jrs  would  become  very  serious,  as,  notwithstanding  their 
loss  was  less  than  that  of  the  enemy,  scarcely  fifty  ^lelno- 
sians  survived,  and  many  of  these  were  severely  hurt.  Four 
sailors  had  also  been  killed,  so  the  total  of  able  men  left  to 
defend  the  island,  making  allowance  for  those  incapable 
through  wounds,  amounted  to  scarcely  forty  souls,  or  there- 
abouts. Even  with  the  carnage  which  had  ensued  during  the 
battle,  Justinian  felt  sure  that  nearly  a  hundred  men  had 
escaped  in  boats,  and,  as  Caliphronas  must  know  that  the 
garrison  was  considerably  w^eakened  by  loss  of  men,  the  De- 
march  feared  lest  he  should  return  almost  immediately  with 
added   numbers   and  risk   another  battle,  in   which  case  it 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  395 

seemed  impossible  for  the  Melnosians  escaping  total  exter- 
mination. 

This  belief  was  confirmed  in  a  strange  way  on  his  return 
to  the  palisade,  for  Alcibiades  was  found  under  a  heap  of 
corpses,  apparently  lifeless,  and  though  for  a  short  time  he 
was  revived  with  brandy,  had  died  immediately  afterwards, 
assuring  Justinian  that  re-enforcements  were  on  their  way  to 
avenge  his  death.  Whether  this  was  mere  bravado  or  not, 
Justinian  was  not  quite  sure,  yet,  in  spite  of  his  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  dead  smuggler's  rascality,  he  hardly  thought 
even  such  a  scamp  would  die  with  a  deliberate  falsehood  on 
his  lips,  therefore  at  once  hastened  to  rebuild  the  barrier,  in 
case  of  invasion  by  possible  foes.  Some  of  the  women  went 
back  to  the  village  for  provisions,  while  others  remained 
behind  to  look  after  the  wounded.  There  was  no  time  to 
bury  the  dead,  present  safety  being  the  great  question  of  the 
hour,  so  the  bodies  of  friend  and  foe  were  laid  gently  down 
on  the  beach  under  the  cliffs,  to  be  buried  as  soon  as  possible, 
when  all  danger  was  past.  The  gorge  thus  being  cleared  of 
the  slain,  Justinian  made  his  men  sit  down  to  refresh  them- 
selves with  wine  and  food,  after  which,  wearied  as  they 
were,  all  hands  went  bravely  forward  to  rebuild  the  barrier. 
Even  the  women  helped  in  this  important  task,  and  by  the 
time  it  was  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  goodly  portion  of  the 
desired  barricade  was  erected. 

As  soon  as  he  heard  about  the  approaching  re-enforcements 
from  the  dying  Alcibiades,  the  Demarch  foresaw  that,  to  be 
prepared  for  such  an  emergency  as  a  fresh  attack,  his  men 
would  have  to  work  all  night,  therefore  desired  Alexandros 
to  bring  down  the  electric  light,  so  as  to  permit  the  toil  to 
be  carried  on  continuously  until  the  battery  was  finished. 
This  was  easily  done,  by  the  electrician  joining  other  wires 
on  to  those  already  at  the  head  of  the  pass,  and  then  fixing 
the  apparatus  near  the  outer  entrance.  So  speedily  did  he 
perform  this  difiB.cult  task,  that  in  a  few  hours  all  was  in 
order,  and  the  powerful  rays  flooded  not  only  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  the  works,  but  even  the  beach  and  a  portion 
of  the  harbor  inside  the  breakwater. 

Helena  had  obstinately  refused  to  go  back  to  the  Acropolis, 
and,  as  the  other  women  remained  to  help,  her  father  did 
not  insist  on  her  return,  so  she  attended  to  Maurice's  wound, 
which,  after  all,  was  a  mere  scratch.  In  common  with  the 
rest,  she  also  took  her  turn  at  nursing,  and  aided  to  carry  the 
wounded  into  the  interior  of  the  island,  for  so  busy  were 


396  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

the  men  at  the  repairing  of  the  barrier,  that  none  could  be 
spared,  so  the  women,  proving  themselves  thorough  heroines, 
took  all  the  hospital  work  on  their  shoulders. 

"  I  wonder,  in  your  scheme,  you  did  not  include  a  doctor, 
uncle,''  said  Maurice,  as  he  stood  by  the  Demarch,  superin- 
tending the  rebuilding  of  the  palisade.  "A  medical  man 
would  have  come  in  handy  now." 

<'  That  is   true !     Had   Crispin    not  left  me  as  he   did,  I  '^ 
would  have  sent  him  to  study  medicine,  but,  as  it  is,  I  put 
off  the  affair  from  time  to  time,  and  now,  when  I  most  need 
one,  I  find  myself  without  a  surgeon." 

"I  could  never  have  been  a  surgeon,  Justinian,"  said 
Crispin,  with  a  shudder ;  "  cutting  up  people  makes  me  feel 
quite  ill." 

"  You  cut  up  a  good  many  to-day  without  being  much  dis- 
turbed," said  the  Demarch,  with  a  laugh ;  "  but,  of  course,  I 
know  that  was  in  hot  blood.  However,  it  is  no  use  longing 
for  the  impossible,  so  it  is  to  be  hoped  my  Melnosians  will 
recover  without  the  aid  of  medical  science." 

''  Is  your  wound  hurting  3'ou,  Maurice  ?  "  asked  Helena, 
who,  though  tender-hearted  as  a  rule,  seemed  on  this  occa- 
sion to  think  solely  of  her  lover,  despite  the  fact  that  so 
many  men  had  been  killed. 

"  Pooh  !  not  a  bit  —  a  mere  scratch  !  " 

''  You've  got  to  thank  my  amber  heart  for  your  safety." 

"Or  your  golden  hair,"  he  retorted,  smiling;  "but,  in 
faith,  Helena,  I  fancy  my  good  luck  has  had  most  to  do  with 
my  safety." 

"Don't  undervalue  your  fighting  powers,  Maurice,"  said 
the  Demarch,  who  overheard  this  remark ;  "  your  tussle  with 
Alcibiades  was  no  light  one." 

"  Well,  I  certainly  got  the  better  of  him,  but  his  wound 
was  only  a  trifle,  and,  had  he  not  tumbled  over  the  parapet, 
the  fight  would  have  lasted  much  longer.  As  it  was,  the 
poor  devil  was  really  trampled  to  death  during  the  retreat 
of  the  enemy.  Still,  if  you  like,  Helena,  we  will  put  it  all 
down  to  your  amber  heart." 

"  What  amber  heart  are  you  talking  about  ?  "  asked  Jus- 
tinian inquiringly. 

"  Ah,  that  is  a  secret  between  Helena  and  myself,"  said 
Maurice,  with  a  meaning  look  at  the  blushing  girl,  —  "a  very 
charming  secret  indeed.  Well,  Gurt,  and  how  do  you  find 
yourself  ?  " 

The  sailor,  who  had  been  working  outside  the  palisade, 
gave  his  trousers  a  hitch  and  pulled  his  forelock. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  397 

"I'm  as  right  as  a  trivet,  sir.  I  hop  a  little  with  that 
there  dig  I  got  yesterday,  but  Lor'  bless  you,  sir  I  'tain't 
nothin'.  But  if  I  may  make  so  bold,  Mr.  Justinian,  I  wants 
to  speak,  sir/' 

"  What  is  it,  Gurt  ?  " 

"  Growin'  tired  of  bricklayin',  sir,  I  goes  down  a  bit  for  a 
breath  of  air,  and  there,  sir,  as  Vm  a  sinner,  I  hears  the  dip 
of  oars." 

"  Boats  coming !  "  cried  the  Demarch  and  Maurice  in  one 
breath. 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  jest  came  up  like  a  shot.  Turn  on  the  light, 
sir,  t'  th'  north,  an'  if  you  don't  see  them  lubbers  comin' 
back,  I'm  a  Dutchman  ! " 

Maurice  ran  off  to  tell  Alexandros,  who  at  once  sent  the 
white  glare  across  the  sea,  and  there,  pulling  straight  for  the 
breakwater,  they  saw  a  long  string  of  boats.  The  men  therein 
guessed  by  the  sudden  flash  of  the  light  that  they  were  dis- 
covered, and  gave  a  yell  of  anger,  for  they  had  hoped  to  pull 
in  under  cover  of  darkness,  and  take  the  Melnosians  by  sur- 
prise. Thanks,  however,  to  Gurt's  quick  ear,  and  the  ser- 
viceable electric  light,  their  little  scheme  was  frustrated  at 
nearly  the  moment  of  its  fulfilment. 

"  Ten  boats  ! "  cried  Justinian,  counting  them  rapidly. 
"Push  on  the  work,  my  men.  Here,  some  of  you,  take  up 
your  guns.     What  about  those  cannon,  Dick  ?  " 

"  All  right  now,  sir,''  said  the  sailor,  saluting  ;  "  got  the 
spikes  out." 

"  See  if  you  can  knock  a  few  of  those  boats  to  splinters. 
Helena,  you  and  the  women  go  back  to  the  Acropolis." 

"  Oh  no,  no,  father  !  let  me  remain  here.  And  see !  all  the 
women  are  helping  to  build  the  wall." 

"  Well,  well,  we  need  all  hands ;  but,  for  God's  sake,  my 
child,  keep  in  a  place  of  safety  !  " 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  attack  to-night  ?  "  asked  Crispin, 
who  had  raced  full  speed  down  the  gorge,  and  was  out  of 
breath. 

"No.  In  the  first  place,  they  have  had  a  good  thrashing 
to-day,  and  in  the  second,  Caliphronas  is  too  much  of  a 
coward  to  lead  them  on  until  he  has  recovered  his  nerve. 
They've  got  re-enforcements,  however.  I  expect  those  flying 
met  the  new  men  coming,  and  persuaded  them  to  come  back. 
Is  that  gun  ready,  Dick  ?  " 

"  In  a  minute,  sir.  Just  turn  the  light  on  the  water  so  as 
I  can  train  the  gun." 


398  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Alexandres  did  so,  and  Dick  carefully  sighted  the  piece,  so 
as  to  allow  for  the  way  the  boats  were  making  through  the 
water.  Evidently  unaware  of  their  danger,  instead  of  keep- 
ing widely  apart,  and  thus  neutralizing  the  chance  of  the 
shot  hitting  them,  they  all  made  for  the  beach  in  a  dense 
bunch.  The  electric  light  showed  their  position  as  clearly 
as  if  it  were  day,  and  the  round  shot  went  with  a  roar  right 
into  the  conglomerate  mass,  doing  considerable  damage.  The 
advancing  Greeks  yelled  with  fear,  but,  seeing  their  only 
chance  of  safety  was  to  get  under  the  level  of  the  guns, 
pulled  in  like  madmen  to  the  beach.  Then  by  the  white 
radiance  of  the  light,  it  was  seen  that  two  boats  had  been 
sunk,  and  many  of  their  occupants  killed,  but  the  survivors, 
fish  in  the  water,  like  all  insular  Greeks,  were  swimming 
rapidly  to  land. 

Caliphronas,  foolish  though  he  w^as  in  military  matters, 
yet  knew  sufficient  of  the  formation  of  the  ground  and  the 
nature  of  cannon  to  be  aware  that  it  was  impossible  the 
muzzles  of  the  guns  could  be  depressed  sufficiently  to  do 
damage  to  his  men  on  the  beach,  therefore,  feeling  themselves 
comparatively  safe,  the  newly -landed  pirates  hastened  to  put 
up  tents,  evidently  intending  to  rest  that  night  and  continue 
the  assault  in  the  morning.  Knowing  that  the  little  gar- 
rison must  be  worn  out  with  the  long  fight  during  the  day, 
they  did  not  trouble  themselves  in  any  way  to  guard  against 
an  attack,  not  even  placing  sentries  at  the  outposts. 

As  all  their  movements  were  revealed  by  the  glare  of  the 
search  light,  Justinian  noted  this  fact,  and  regretted  bitterly 
that  he  had  not  a  sufficient  force  at  his  command  to  sally 
forth  against  this  ill-guarded  camp. 

"  Egad,  Maurice  !  "  he  said  in  vexation  ;  "  with  fifty  men 
at  our  backs  we  could  sweep  them  off  the  island  before  dawn. 
The  rascals  evidently  know  how  weak  we  are  in  numbers, 
else  they  would  not  be  so  careless  of  their  camp.  How  is 
that  work  going  on  ?  " 

"Nearly  finished,  sir,"  reported  Dick,  who  was  overseer. 
"They  won't  get  over  that  wall  in  a  hurry,  I'll  bet." 

"  Transfer  your  command  to  one  of  your  men  and  come 
here  ;  I  wish  to  hold  a  council  of  war." 

Dick  saluted,  and  having  instructed  one  of  his  messmates 
to  attend  to  the  final  details  of  the  parapet,  came  forward  as 
Justinian  desired.  Helena,  in  company  with  some  of  the 
women,  had  gone  up  the  gorge,  in  order  to  attend  to  the 
wounded,   so   tlie   five  men,  for  Gurt  was  also  included  in 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  399 

the  council,  sat  down  on  the  grass  some  little  distance  away 
from  the  workers,  and  began  to  discuss  the  situation  in  low 
tones.  Sentries  had  been  posted  at  the  barrier,  and  the 
electric  light  was  full  on  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  so  in  the 
event  of  any  movement  being  made  for  an  assault,  which  was 
not  likely,  Justinian  knew  he  would  be  informed  at  once. 
After  all,  with  the  barrier,  the  heavy  guns,  and  their  mus- 
kets, they  could  hope  to  hold  the  pass  for  some  time,  but  in 
the  end  it  was  doubtful  if  they  would  not  have  to  give  in, 
which  catastrophe  would  mean  death  to  every  soul  on  the 
island. 

"  You  can  see  for  yourselves,  gentlemen,  that  the  danger 
is  very  grave,"  said  the  Demarch  anxiously;  "we  are  only 
forty  in  number,  and  with  these  re-enforcements  the  enemy 
must  be  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty.  It  took  us  all  our 
time  to  beat  them  off  to-day  when  we  were  stronger  and  not 
fatigued,  but  to-morrow,  with  such  a  small  force,  all  worn 
out  with  fighting  and  want  of  sleep,  I  dread  the  worst." 

"There  is  one  thing  in  our  favor,"  observed  Maurice  in  a 
satisfied  tone  ;  "  bad  leader  as  Alcibiades  was,  he  had  more 
pluck  than  Caliphronas  ;  and,  as  he  is  the  general  now,  he 
will  not  inspire  his  men  with  confidence.  However  brave 
the  followers  are,  unless  the  leader  is  equally  so,  their  valor  is 
not  of  much  use,  as  it  lacks  discipline  and  trust  in  the 
general." 
^  "  There's  one  thing,  sir,"  remarked  Dick,  addressing  Jus- 
tinian,—  "there  is  one  thing  I'd  like  to  say.  All  these 
Greeks  have  bare  feet,  so  I  think  it  'ud  be  a  good  plan  to 
strew  the  front  of  the  palisade  with  broken  glass,  which 
would  cut  them  up  a  bit." 

"That's  a  good  idea,  Dick;  and  then,  when  they  are  in 
confusion,  we  can  do  some  damage  with  our  cannon.  By  the 
way,  what  about  that  gun  ?  we  should  have  brought  that  in." 

"'  It's  a  pity  we  didn't,  sir ;  but  it  ain't  much  good  to  them, 
for  I've  spiked  it  proper." 

"Ypu've  got  dynamite,  Justinian,  have  you  not?"  said 
Crispin,  who  had  been  thinking. 

"Yes;  plenty." 

"Then  why  not  make  a  mine  on  the  slope  of  the  hill,  and 
blow  it   up  with  electricity  when   the   enemy    are   coming 

"Egad  !  I'll  do  that  at  once.  The  dynamite  can  be  brought 
down  in  about  half  an  hour;  it  won't  take  long  to  dig  a 
trench  and  lay  a  wire :  so  we  ought  to  have  the  whole  thing 


400  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

ready  by  the  time  they  assault  the  battery  at  dawn.  Dick, 
take  Temistocles  and  some  other  men  up  to  the  magazine." 

Dick  went  off  to  obey  this  order  with  alacrity ;  and  Jus- 
tinian, whose  spirits  were  rising  at  the  feasibility  of  these 
schemes  to  conquer  his  enemies,  went  on  talking  hopefully 
of  the  future. 

"  What  with  cannon,  dynamite,  and  broken  bottles  to  cut 
their  bare  feet,  I  fancy  those  scoundrels  will  get  a  warm 
reception.  Ah,  if  I  only  had  the  full  strength  of  my 
Melnosians  again,  I  would  soon  drive  these  scoundrels  back 
to  the  ocean  !  " 

"  If  we  smash  them  up  to-morrow  with  dynamite,  they 
won't  come  again,  uncle." 

"  I  trust  not ;  but  Alcibiades  seems  to  have  made  exten- 
sive preparations  in  the  way  of  re-enforcements,  and  for  all  I 
know,  a  fresh  batch  may  arrive  to-morrow ;  while  at  every 
assault  our  numbers  diminish.  If  we  only  could  get  more 
men  !  but  I  fear  that  is  impossible." 

"Not  so  impossible  as  you  think,"  said  Crispin  deliber- 
ately. "  Suppose  I  go  to  Syra,  and  get  the  Eparch  there  to 
send  you  re-enforcements  ?  " 

"  True  ;  he's  a  friend  of  mine  ;  and  if  he  did  not  send  regu- 
lar soldiers,  he  could  at  least  let  me  have  some  men  of  the 
same  fighting  powers  as  these  scoundrels.  But  how  are  you 
to  get  to  Syra?  and  how  are  you  going  to  bring  the  troops 
back  ?  " 

"  As  to  bringing  them  back,  by  this  time  my  yacht  must 
be  there,  so  it  would  not  take  long  for  me  to  steam  here  with 
a  good  number  of  men." 

"  Well,  but  you  can't  go.     We  are  beleaguered." 

"  All  tlie  enemy  are  asleep  ;  so  if  Gurt  here,  who  knows 
these  waters  thoroughly,  will  come  with  me,  I  think  we  could 
steal  down  to  the  breakwater  and  obtain  one  of  their  boats. 
A  good  breeze  is  blowing  ;  so,  if  we  put  up  the  sail,  we  couUl 
soon  cut  across  the  course  of  one  of  those  Cretan  steamers 
which  sail  to  Syra  from  Khanea,  in  which  case  it  would  take 
but  a  little  time  to  reach  the  yacht.  Once  at  Syra,  I  would 
get  as  many  men  as  possible,  and  come  back  at  once." 

"  It  is  a  wild  scheme,  but  not  impossible,"  said  Justinian 
thoughtfully.  "You'd  have  to  sail  about  thirty  miles ;  and 
then  there  is  the  chance  of  your  getting  picked  up  by  a 
steamer." 

"  With  this  'ere  breeze,  sir,"  remarked  Gurt,  who  was  not 
averse  to  the  adventure,  "  I  guess  we'd  get  in  the  track  of 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  401 

one  of  them  Cretans  in  about  twelve  hours,  more  or  less. 
Once  in  the  line,  and  there's  lots  of  'em  plying  to  and  fro,  so 
the  chances  are  we'd  soon  be  picked  up.  I'm  game  for  it,  if 
Mr.  Crispin  is,  sir." 

"  But  are  you  not  too  tired  ?  " 

"  I  am  not,"  said  the  poet,  stretching  himself ;  "  besides 
anything  is  better  than  this  suspense.  The  only  thing  I'm 
afraid  of  is  Gurt's  wound." 

•'  Don't  you  be  afeared  o'  that,  sir,"  replied  Gurt  bluntly. 
"  I've  lost  some  blood,  but  'tain't  nothin'.  I  ain't  no  babby  to 
squake  fur  nothin'.  If  we  kin  git  a  boat,  I'm  ready  to  start 
this  minit." 

"  What  do  you  say,  Maurice  ?  " 

Roylands  had  been  listening  to  these  propositions  not 
without  a  certain  amount  of  approval,  which  was,  however, 
mingled  with  a  feeling  that  such  a  scheme  was  somewhat 
foolhardy. 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  say,"  he  observed  at  length. 
"  There  is  one  thing  certain,  if  we  wish  to  hold  the  island, 
we  must  have  more  men ;  and,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  Crispin's 
scheme  is  the  only  way  of  getting  them.  The  mere  sight  of 
the  yacht  filled  with  troops  would  frighten  the  life  out  of 
these  scoundrels,  and  cause  them  to  clear  out ;  but  the  diffi- 
culty is  how  to  get  a  boat  without  being  seen  by  the 
enemy." 

"I  think  we  can  manage  that,"  said  Justinian,  indicating 
points  with  his  finger  ;  for,  of  course,  with  the  electric  light, 
there  was  no  difficulty  in  following  his  actions.  "  You  see, 
the  camp  of  the  enemy  is  here,  to  the  right  of  the  harbor. 
I  noticed  that  several  of  the  larger  boats  were  tied  to  the 
breakwater ;  so  if  Crispin  and  Gurt  get  down  there,  and 
walk  along  the  breakwater  itself,  they  can  loosen  one  of  the 
boats  and  tow  it  outward  to  the  mouth  of  the  harbor. 
There  they  can  get  in,  and  row  off  to  the  west,  without  any 
chance  of  the  dip  of  their  oars  being  heard  by  the  enemy." 

"  That  is  all  very  well,  uncle  ;  but  how  are  they  to  get 
down  to  the  beach  ?  No  doubt  the  enemy  are  all  asleep, 
and,  as  we  know,  have  not  posted  sentries ;  still,  if  Crispin 
goes  out  by  the  palisade,  he  might  be  seen,  in  spite  of  all 
precautions.     Caliphronas  is  sure  to  be  on  the  alert." 

"  I  expect  Caliphronas  is  too  weary  with  his  day's  work  to 
keep  awake,"  replied  the  Demarch  dryly  ;  "  and  he  is  not  the 
man  to  deny  himself  rest,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they 
may.  However,  if  you  don't  object  to  a  little  danger,  Cris- 
pin, I  think  we  can  get  you  out  by  another  way." 


402  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

"  In  any  case  there  is  danger,  so  a  little  more  makes  no 
difference." 

"  Then  we  will  go  up  to  the  point  above  the  side  path  ;  and, 
from  there,  you  know,  the  cliff  slopes  down  sheer  two  hun- 
dred feet.  We  can  let  you  and  Gurt  down  there  by  ropes, 
and  you  can  steal  along  in  the  darkness  down  to  the  break- 
water.    Once  there,  and  the  rest  will  be  easy." 

"  It's  a  risk." 

"  Certainly ;  the  whole  enterprise  is  risky ;  but  we  will 
keep  the  electric  light  full  on  the  camp,  so,  while  you  can 
see  all  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  they  can  see  nothing  of 
you  in  the  darkness.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  however,  they 
have  such  a  belief  that  we  can  do  nothing,  that  they  are  all 
sound  asleep;  so  I  don't  think  you  will  run  much  risk. 
Well,  what  do  you  say  ?  " 

"  I'll  do  it." 

"  So  will  I,  sir." 

"  Good !  We  will  trust  to  Providence  for  the  rest.  Let 
me  see,  Crispin.  It  is  now  past  midnight ;  so,  if  you  can  catch 
one  of  those  steamers  before  to-morrow  night,  you  will  be  in 
Syra  by  the  next  day.  In  twenty-four  hours,  I  have  no 
doubt,  the  Eparch  will  give  you  plenty  of  men ;  and  it  will 
not  take  a  very  long  time  for  a  steamer  to  reach  here.  Alto- 
gether, if  all  goes  well,  you  ought  to  be  back  in  four  or  five 
days.     The  question  is,  can  we  hold  the  island  till  then  ?  " 

''  AVe  must !  "  said  Maurice  decisively.  "  If  the  'worst  comes 
to  the  worst,  we  can  blast  those  overhanging  rocks  yonder 
with  dynamite,  and  thus  close  up  the  pass  entirely.  True, 
we  will  shut  ourselves  up  as  in  a  prison  ;  still,  we  will  be 
safe  until  aid  arrives;  for,  once  the  gorge  is  closed  up,  no 
enemy  can  possibly  get  into  the  interior  Avithout  almost 
sujjerhuman  exertions." 

"  We  must  hope  for  the  best,"  answered  Justinian,  rising 
to  his  feet.  "  Well,  Crispin,  I  thank  you  for  your  offer,  and 
will  accept  it.     When  will  you  start  ?  " 

"At  once.  There  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  waiting. 
We  will  take  enough  of  these  provisions  to  last  us  for  three 
days,  in  case  we  miss  the  steamer ;  and,  for  the  rest,  trust  to 
Providence." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  of  trusting  in  Providence  about  the 
whole  scheme,"  said  Justinian,  with  a  sigh.  "You  may  run 
the  gantlet  to  the  breakwater  success full}^,  you  may  get 
safely  off  in  a  boat  without  being  seen  by  the  enemy,  you 
may  be  picked  up  by  a  Cretan  steamer,  and  you  may  find 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  403 

your  yacht  lying  at  Syra.  It's  all  chance,  my  boy ;  and 
really  I  think  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  adopt  Maurice's 
plan  in  closing  up  the  pass,  so  as  the  enemy  can't  possibly 
get  in." 

'•And  we  can't  possibly  get  out,"  replied  Crispin  signifi- 
cantly ;  it  is  too  dangerous.  Remember  our  conversation 
the  other  day  about  the  volcano  :  if  you  blow  up  the  pass,  all 
means  of  exit  will  be  cut  off ;  and,  should  the  crater  burst 
out,  no  one  of  us  would  be  left  alive." 

"  Then  go,  and  God  speed  you  !  "  cried  the  Demarch,  who 
saw  plainly  that  it  was  a  case  of  Scylla  and  Charybdis. 

Maurice  had  not  heard  this  conversation  about  the  volcano, 
much  to  his  uncle's  satisfaction,  having  gone  forward  to 
meet  Dick,  who  had  just  come  back  from  the  magazine  with 
the  dynamite.  The  bos'n  expressed  great  satisfaction  when 
he  heard  of  the  proposed  scheme,  and  would  dearly  have 
liked  to  go  himself  in  place  of  Gurt,  onl}'  he  knew  Justinian 
could  not  spare  him.  However,  he  was  well  aware  that 
Crispin  could  not  have  a  better  companion  than  Gurt,  for  the 
old  sailor  was  well  acquainted  with  the  course  they  would 
have  to  take  towards  the  west;  and,  moreover,  having  had 
something  to  do  wdth  the  line  of  steamers  between  Khanea 
and  Syra,  knew  better  than  any  one  as  to  the  possibility  of 
being  picked  up  by  one  of  them  without  loss  of  time. 

The  scheme  was  put  into  working  order  at  once,  and  a 
sufficiency  of  provisions  was  made  ready  for  the  adven- 
turers. Crispin  filled  his  brandy-flask  and  took  his  revolver, 
in  case  he  might  be  stopped  on  the  beach  by  the  enemy ; 
and  both  himself  and  Gurt  took  heavy  woollen  cloaks  to 
protect  them  from  the  chill  sea-breeze.  It  was  agreed  that 
Justinian  and  Maurice  only  should  go  up  with  the  rope  to 
let  down  their  companions  to  the  beach  below,  as  it  was 
necessary  for  Dick  to  remain,  in  order  to  attend  to  the 
dynamite  mine.  Nothing  was  told  to  the  Melnosians  about 
the  proposed  scheme,  lest  they,  seeing  how  desperate  affairs 
were,  should  lose  heart ;  and,  beyond  the  four  leaders,  Gurt, 
and  Helena,  every  one  was  in  ignorance  of  the  daring  attempt 
about  to  be  made. 

After  Helena,  who  was  deeply  affected  by  Crispin's 
bravery,  had  said  good-by  to  him  and  Gurt,  she  went  back 
to  the  Acropolis  with  a  number  of  women  to  obtain  some 
rest,  having  arranged  with  her  father  to  come  down  at  early 
morning  with  plenty  of  broken  glass,  in  order  to  protect  the 
front  of  the  palisade.     Dick  and  his  men  were  already  hard 


404  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

at  work  just  on  the  brow  of  the  slope,  about  one  hundred 
yards  away,  digging  the  mine  for  the  dynamite ;  so,  all 
things  going  on  thus  fairly  well,  and  there  being  no  sign  of 
movement  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  the  Demarch,  with  his 
nephew  and  the  two  adventurers,  unlocked  the  iron  gate,  in 
order  to  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  from  whence  Crispin 
and  Gurt  were  to  be  lowered  to  the  beach  below. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

THE    FORLORN    HOPE. 

The  night  is  dark, 

The  cliff  is  high, 

No  moon  illumes 

The  cloudy  sky; 

Below  we  mark 

The  fearful  glooms 

"Which  in  their  night 

Hide  sombrely  the  way  of  flight. 

To  slender  rope 

We  cling  with  dread, 

And  hanging  there 

As  by  a  thread, 

With  fearful  hope 

We  downward  fare, 

Till  on  the  strand 

In  safety  for  a  time  we  land. 

Fortunately  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  the  sky 
was  cloudy,  so  that  the  moon,  thickly  veiled  by  vapors,  was 
unable  to  betray  the  adventurers  by  her  tell-tale  light.  A 
strong  breeze  was  blowing  seaward  from  the  land  and  ruf- 
fling the  surface  of  the  black  water  to  ragged  caps  of  white, 
which  promised  anything  but  a  pleasant  journey  to  Crispin 
and  his  companion. 

They  were  warmly  clothed  in  thick  garments  of  blue-dyed 
wool,  consisting  of  tight-fitting  jackets  and  loose  trousers, 
tucked  into  high  boots  of  untanned  leather.  In  his  belt 
Crispin  carried  a  dagger  and  his  revolver,  while  Gurt's  cut- 
lass dangled  by  his  side,  and  both  men  also  wore  those  red 
fishermen's  caps  common  to  the  ^gean,  with  ample  woollen 
capotes  to  protect  them  from  the  keen  winds.  Standing  on 
the  height  of  the  lofty  cliff,  they  could  not  see  the  beach  for 
the  profound  gloom  below,  but  to  the  left  saw  the  camp  of 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  405 

the  enemy  clearly  defined  in  the  fierce  rays  of  the  electric 
light.  Everything  there  seemed  to  be  as  still  as  the  grave, 
and  the  pirates  were  evidently  sound  asleep  under  canvas, 
for  not  a  sound  broke  the  stillness,  save  the  whistle  of  the 
breeze  and  the  sullen  rolling  of  the  waves  on  the  sands 
below. 

Maurice  and  the  poet  had  brought  up  two  coils  of  strong 
rope,  each  over  a  hundred  feet  in  length  ;  so,  as  the  cliff  meas- 
ured but  two  hundred,  there  would  be  no  difficulty  about 
the  ropes  being  too  short.  They  tied  these  firmly  together, 
then,  making  one  end  fast  to  a  strong  pine  tree  which  grew 
some  distance  back  from  the  verge,  flung  the  other  into  the 
abyss  below.  The  rope  paid  itself  out  rapidly,  until,  when 
only  a  few  coils  were  left,  it  ceased  running,  which  showed 
that  it  had  touched  bottom.  Now  the  two  adventurers  pre- 
pared to  descend,  and  shook  hands  with  the  Demarch  and 
his  nephew,  both  of  whom  were  much  affected.  Xone  of 
the  four  knew  if  they  would  meet  again,  for  two  were  bound 
on  a  perilous  voyage,  and  the  others  were  beleaguered  in  a 
dangerous  volcanic  island  by  bloodthirsty  enemies.  If  they 
reached  the  boat  safely,  and  managed  to  push  off  into  the 
open  sea  unseen  by  their  enemies,  they  were  to  send  up  a 
rocket  as  a  signal  of  success  to  the  watchers  on  land.  Gurt 
carried  this  useful  article,  and  was  the  first  to  descend  the 
slender  rope,  to  which  he  clung  like  a  spider  to  its  thread, 
and  dropped  swiftly  down  until  the  thickening  gloom  hid 
him  from  their  anxious  eyes.  After  a  time  the  rope  slacked, 
and  a  gentle  vibration  stealing  up  it  showed  that  Gurt  had 
landed  safely. 

"  Good-by,  my  dear  lad,"  said  Justinian,  as  he  embraced 
the  brave  poet.     "  You  are  sure  you  have  everything  ?  " 

''My  revolver,  cartridges,  cloak,  a  satchel  filled  with  food, 
your  letter  to  the  Eparch.  Yes,  I  think  that  is  all.  Gurt 
has  the  water-bottles  and  the  rocket.     Good-by,  Maurice." 

"Good-by,  old  fellow,"  replied  Maurice,  and  then  they 
grasped  each  other's  hand  in  token  of  farewell,  with  that 
stolid  composure  with  which  Englishmen  in  trying  circum- 
stances conceal  their  emotion.  "Take  care  of  yourself  for 
the  sake  of  Eunice." 

"  Certainly  I  will,  and  for  yours  also.  If  all  goes  well, 
you  will  see  the  white  wings  of  The  Eunice  off  this  coast  in 
a  few  days.     But  don't  surrender  the  island  before  then." 

"Not  much,"  retorted  Maurice  grimly.  "I'll  blow  up  all 
the  rocks  in  the  pass  first;  and  if  the  enemy  want  to  get  in, 


406  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

they  will  have  to  fly  over  such  a  barrier.  Good-by  once 
more,  my  boy.     Over  you  go  !  " 

Crispin,  even  at  this  supreme  moment  of  parting,  could 
not  restrain  a  merry  laugh  at  his  friend's  coolness,  and,  lay- 
ing himself  down  on  the  brow  of  the  cliff,  grasped  the  rope, 
and  prepared  to  descend.  As  soon  as  Gurt,  below,  felt  from 
the  quiver  that  his  master  was  fairly  on  his  way  down,  he 
pulled  the  rope  taut  with  all  his  strength,  so  as  to  render  the 
descent  easier. 

"  Look  out  for  the  rocket,"  cried  Crispin,  as  he  dropped 
slowly  downward  into  the  blackness  ;  "  and  keep  the  light 
turned  on  the  camp,  so  that  we  can  see  what  those  wretches 
are  up  to." 

"All  right,"  shouted  Maurice,  who,  lying  flat  on  his 
stomach,  was  peering  over.     "  Good-by." 

A  faint  farewell  floated  up  through  the  intense  gloom,  as 
Crispin,  with  his  hands  tightly  grasping  the  rope,  and  his 
legs  twisted  round  it,  went  sliding  down  like  a  spider  on  his 
self-spun  thread.  Thanks  to  Gurt.  w^ho  was  holding  out  the 
cord  widely  from  the  rugged  face  of  the  cliff,  he  found  no 
difiiculty  in  descending,  and  soon  landed  safely  beside  the 
sailor  on  the  damp  sand. 

Shaking  the  rope  vigorously  as  a  sign  to  those  on  top  that 
they  were  now  on  terra  firma,  they  walked  carefully  forward 
in  the  darkness  towards  the  land  end  of  the  breakwater. 
Gradually  their  eyes,  now  relieved  from  the  dazzle  of  the 
electric  light,  became  accustomed  to  the  gloom,  and  they 
could  see  to  some  extent  a  good  distance  ahead.  Stealing 
along  silently,  their  boots  made  no  sound  in  the  dead  sand, 
and  they  arrived  without  mischance  at  the  rocky  wall  of  the 
harbor.  Against  this  several  boats  were  floating,  tied  to  iron 
rings  welded  into  the  masonry,  but  rejecting  the  first  three 
or  four,  which  were  too  cumbersome  for  two  people  to  man- 
age, they  selected  a  small  light  caique,  with  masts,  sail,  and 
oars,  which  lay  nearest  to  the  sea. 

Gurt  pulled  this  in  easily  by  the  painter,  and  then  bade 
Crispin  get  into  it,  so  as  to  keep  it  off  from  the  wall  as  it 
was  towed  along.  As  the  sailor  was  the  more  powerful  of 
the  two,  Crispin  obeyed  without  hesitation,  and,  with  the 
aid  of  an  oar,  kept  the  craft  out  from  the  masonry,  while 
Gurt,  with  the  rope  over  his  shoulder  and  bent  form,  ])ulled 
it  with  some  difficulty  towards  the  entrance.  All  this  time 
things  had  gone  smoothly  with  them,  for  the  electric  light 
kept  up  a  steady  glare  on  the  camp  of  their  sleeping  enemies, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  407 

and  they  could  see  no  movement  to  lead  them  to  suspect  that 
the  pirates  were  aware  of  their  daring  attempt. 

At  the  end  of  the  breakwater  they  placed  their  provisions, 
water-bottles,  and  cloaks  in  the  boat,  and  after  making  fast 
the  boat  to  an  iron  ring,  proceeded  to  let  off  the  rocket  in 
token  of  their  success.  Crispin  placed  it  in  position,  applied 
the  match,  then  hastily  got  into  the  boat  with  Gurt  and 
pushed  off  to  sea.  Just  as  they  were  a  few  yards  from  the 
shore,  the  rocket  flashed  skyward  with  a  sharp  whizz,  scat- 
tering trains  of  sparks  in  its  ascent.  Alarmed  by  the  unex- 
pected sound,  the  pirates  rushed  out  of  their  tents  to 
ascertain  the  cause,  but  the  rocket,  having  expended  its 
fire,  had  fallen  back  into  the  water,  so  they  could  see  noth- 
ing to  account  for  the  explosion. 

After  rowing  out  a  little  way,  Gurt  shipped  the  oars,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  Crispin,  hoisted  the  sail,  which  bellied 
out  with  a  groan  to  the  wind  and  made  them  glide  rapidly 
forward.  Then  the  sailor  took  the  helm.  Crispin,  wrapped 
in  his  cloak,  laid  himself  down  to  sleep  for  a  few  hours,  and 
the  little  craft  sped  away  lightly  over  the  white-crested 
waves  into  the  profound  darkness.  When  they  were  out 
some  considerable  distance,  the  electric  light  suddenly  flashed 
out  a  long  ray  into  the  sea,  in  token  of  farewell,  then  re- 
verted to  its  original  position,  and  the  boat  with  its  two 
brave  occupants  was  swallowed  up  in  the  night. 

On  the  cliff  those  left  behind  waited  and  watched  until 
the  welcome  rocket  shot  its  long  trail  of  golden  fire  through 
the  darkness,  then  both  simultaneously  heaved  a  sigh  of 
relief. 

"  Well,  they  are  safe  so  far,"  said  the  Demarch  thankfully  ; 
"  but,  by  Jupiter,  Maurice,  those  rascals  have  heard  the 
rocket  go  ! " 

"Oh,  they've  seen  nothing,"  replied  his  nephew  indiffer- 
ently, as  the  few  men  who  had  rushed  out  retired  again  to 
their  tents;  "the  fire  died  out  before  they  caught  even  a 
glimpse  of  it.  I'm  glad  Crispin  is  safely  away ;  his  boat  will 
be  flying  like  a  storm}^  petrel  before  this  stiff  breeze.  Let 
us  go  down,  uncle,  and  send  them  a  farewell  flash  of  the 
light." 

"  But  it  might  reveal  the  boat  to  those  scamps,"  said  Jus- 
tinian, as  they  rapidly  descended  the  narrow  staircase. 

"  Oh,  they've  all  gone  inside  again  ;  besides,  Crispin  has 
got;  too  much  of  a  start  by  this  time.  I'll  go  and  see 
Alexandros." 


408  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

Which  he  accordingly  did,  and  the  light,  after  flashing  for 
a  second  on  the  flying  boat,  was  again  turned  on  the  camp, 
after  which  Maurice  and  his  uncle  went  to  see  how  Dick  and 
his  dynamite  mine  were  getting  on.  Without  doubt  these 
amateur  sappers  had  been  working  hard,  for  the  trench  was 
dug,  the  dynamite  cartridges  placed  therein,  and  the  hole 
filled  up.  Wires  attached  to  each  cartridge  ran  underground 
through  the  palisade  to  the  interior  of  the  battery,  and  none 
of  the  enemy  would  have  suspected  that  the  whole  of  that 
broad  space  in  front  was  one  deadly  mine,  which,  when  ex- 
ploded, would  blow  them  to  pieces  by  the  dozen. 

"  There,  sir,"  said  Dick,  wiping  his  heated  brow ;  '•  now 
when  Miss  Helena  brings  those  broken  bottles,  we'll  smash 
'em  up  on  this  ground  between  the  mine  and  the  palisade,  so 
if  any  of  those  beggars  escape  being  cut  to  pieces  or  blown 
to  atoms  it'll  be  a  miracle." 

"It's  splendid,  Dick,"  answered  Justinian,  clapping  him 
on  the  shoulder.  "  And  now,  my  lad,  you  had  better  go  and 
have  some  sleep." 

"  D'ye  think  it  'ull  be  safe,  sir  ?  " 

"  Quite  safe  !  All  those  scamps  are  sound  asleep,  and  will 
not  attack  before  dawn.  The  barrier  is  built  up  as  strongly 
as  we  can  do  it,  your  cannon  are  all  right,  and,  what  with  the 
mine  and  the  broken  glass,  I  think  they'll  find  it  pretty  hard 
to  get  even  as  far  as  they  did  to-day." 

"  Is  Mr.  Crispin  all  right,  sir  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  he  got  safely  into  the  boat,  sent  up  a  rocket  to  tell 
us  of  his  success,  and  by  this  time  is  on  his  way  to  Syra  for 
help." 

"  I  saw  the  rocket,  sir,  so  I  guessed  it  'ud  be  all  right. 
D'ye  think,  sir,  we'll  hold  out  till  he  brings  the  yacht  here  ?  " 

"Of  course  we  will,"  said  Maurice,  who  had  joined  the 
pair ;  "  our  defence  here,  even  with  our  small  numbers,  is 
quite  strong  enough  to  stand  one  storming.  If  some  of  them 
get  their  feet  cut  to  pieces  by  the  glass,  and  others  blown  up 
sky-high  by  the  mine,  I  wouldn't  be  surprised  if  they  gave 
up  the  attempt  and  sailed  away." 

"  Suppose  they  don't,  sir  ?  "  questioned  Dick  dubiously. 

"Then,  my  Kichard,  I  have  a  plan  for  closing  up  this 
pass." 

"  How,  sir  ?  " 

"  You  see  those  overhanging  rocks  up  there  ?  Well,  as 
they  are  just  over  the  entrance  of  the  pass,  to-morrow,  so 
soon  as  we  have  beaten  back  those   wretches,  we'll  go  up 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  409 

and  bore  holes  along  the  narrowest  part  for  dynamite  cart- 
ridges. Then  we'll  attach  wires  as  in  the  mine,  and  if  we 
find  that  we  can't  stand  against  a  second  assault,  all  we 
have  to  do  is  to  inveigle  our  friends  under  those  rocks,  ex- 
plode the  charge,  and  then,  my  Richard  —  oh,  what  a  time 
they  will  have  !  " 

"  But  that  'ull  shut  us  up  in  the  island,  sir." 

"  Well,  what  of  that  ?  It's  a  pleasant  place  to  dwell  in. 
But  you  needn't  be  afraid,  Dick ;  it's  easier  to  get  out  than 
get  in,  and  when  the  yacht  arrives  we'll  not  have  much  diffi- 
culty in  getting  on  board." 

"  Leave  Melnos,  sir  ! " 

"No  !  "  said  Justinian  angrily.  "I've  no  doubt,  if  we  are 
forced  to  fill  up  the  pass,  those  scoundrels  will  leave  us.  If 
they  don't,  the  arrival  of  the  yacht  with  fresh  troops  will 
drive  them  away.  Then,  we'll  go  to  work  to  open  up  both 
the  pass  and  tunnel." 

"Not  enough  men,  Mr.  Justinian." 

"  Ah,  my  poor  Melnosians  !  Well,  we'll  have  to  get  more 
settlers,  that's  all.  The  difficulty  is  not  in  getting  men  and 
women,  but  in  getting  pure-blooded  Greeks." 

Dick  did  not  understand  this  latter  remark,  so  wisely  left 
it  unanswered,  and,  touching  his  cap,  went  off  with  his  mess- 
mates to  snatch  a  few  hours'  sleep  before  the  grand  assault 
which  all  anticipated  would  take  place  at  dawn.  Justinian 
and  his  nephew  made  an  inspection  of  all  the  defences,  saw 
that  the  sentries  were  posted,  and  then  went  to  talk  to  Alex- 
andros  about  the  small  battery  he  was  rigging  up  for  the 
purpose  of  exploding  the  mine  when  necessary. 

"  There  will  be  no  difficulty  about  this  affair,  Alexan- 
dros  ?  " 

"No,  Kyrion.  I  have  attached  the  wires  leading  to  the 
cartridges  to  this  battery,  and  will  have  it  under  my  charge 
to-morrow  behind  this  rock,  which  will  protect  me  from  the 
fire  of  the  enemy.  You  wave  your  hand  as  a  signal,  and  I 
touch  this  button,  when  the  mine  will  explode  in  a  second." 

"  Excellent ! "  said  Justinian,  with  great  satisfaction. 
"  And  if  we  wanted  to  close  up  the  pass  by  bringing  down 
those  rocks  above  you  ?  " 

"  In  the  same  way,  Kyrion.  Make  holes  above  for  your 
cartridges  and  attach  wires  of  any  length.  With  my  battery 
at  one  end  of  those  wires,  and  the  dynamite  at  the  other,  I 
could  blow  up  the  whole  of  this  gorge  from  the  Acropolis." 

"  You  can  trust  your  man  in  charge  of  the  engine  ?  '^ 


410  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Yes,  Kyrion.  That  is  all  he  has  to  do,  for  the  dynamo 
works  by  itself  without  my  being  present." 

"  All  seems  going  smoothly/'  said  the  Demarch  to  Maurice, 
as  they  turned  away.  "  That  mine  ought  to  do  considerable 
damage." 

"  I'm  certain  it  will.  But,  uncle,  you  must  be  quite  worn 
out  for  want  of  rest ;  so  you  go  to  sleep,  and  I  will  watch." 

'•  I  will  sleep  later  on ;  but  meanwhile  I  am  going  up  to 
the  Acropolis  to  tell  Helena  that  Crispin  and  Gurt  have  left 
the  island  safely.     She  will  be  very  anxious." 

"  Give  her  a  kiss  for  me,"  cried  Maurice,  as  his  uncle 
walked  away  up  the  pass. 

"  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  horribly  damaged  on  the  transit," 
replied  the  Demarch,  smiling.  ""Good-by,  my  lad.  Keep 
a  sharp  look-out,  and  if  anything  goes  wrong,  send  Temis- 
tocles  to  the  Acropolis.     I  will  be  back  in  an  hour." 

He  went  away  slowly ;  for,  in  spite  of  his  iron  spirit  and 
determination  to  keep  up,  the  incessant  fatigue  was  begin- 
ning to  tell  on  his  frame.  At  seventy-five,  one  cannot  play 
with  a  constitution  ;  and  hardened  as  was  the  body  of  Jus- 
tinian by  temperate  living  and  constant  exercise,  he  yet  felt 
that  he  was  not  the  man  he  was.  Another  thing  which  wor- 
ried him  mentally,  and  thus  acted  on  him  physically,  was 
the  thought  of  the  volcano ;  for,  in  spite  of  the  way  in 
which  he  reassured  Crispin,  he  felt  by  no  means  easy  in  his 
mind  regarding  the  safety  of  the  island.  Not  until  he  was 
absolutely  forced  to,  would  he  close  up  the  pass,  and  thus 
shut  himself  up  in  a  crater  apparently  on  the  verge  of  erup- 
tion. True,  if  the  worst  came,  he  could  escape  with  his  peo- 
ple over  the  cliff,  but  such  a  method  would  take  some  time ; 
and,  with  the  volcano  spouting  fire,  there  would  be  but  a 
small  chance  of  any  one  escaping  alive.  Full  of  these 
thoughts,  he  walked  leisurely  along,  pondering  over  matters 
volcanic  and  matters  military ;  for  with  the  treacherous  cra- 
ter on  one  side,  and  the  cruel  enemy  on  the  other,  he  could 
not  but  see  that  matters  were  approaching  a  crisis. 

Even  if  the  volcano  remained  quiescent,  and  the  enemy 
were  beaten  back,  still  things  were  in  anything  but  a  satis- 
factory position ;  for  he  had  lost  many  of  his  men,  and  he 
knew  how  difficult  it  would  be  to  supply  their  places  with 
Greeks  of  the  old  Hellenic  stock.  Those  who  were  dead 
had  been  trained  up  under  his  eye ;  they  knew  his  aims  and 
aspirations,  and  were  already  developing  greatly  :  but  now 
all  that  was  at  an  end ;  they  had  been  cut  off  by  death,  and 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  411 

even  if  he  got  new  blood,  it  would  mean  that  the  whole  task 
of  training  up  a  new  generation  would  have  to  begin  all  over 
again.  Justinian  was  a  man  of  great  self-control,  but  when 
he  thought  of  all  he  had  lost,  in  the  darkness  of  night  he 
gave  free  vent  to  his  emotion,  and  wept  bitterly  at  the  down- 
fall of  his  hopes.  Still  all  was  not  yet  lost,  for  the  island 
still  remained,  and  many  of  the  old  inhabitants ;  so  he  dried 
his  eyes  when  he  left  the  gorge,  and  determined,  notwith- 
standing his  bad  fortune,  still  to  bear  up  bravely  in  his 
efforts  to  reconstruct  the  old  Hellenic  civilization. 

As  he  neared  the  Acropolis,  he  was  astonished  to  see 
Helena,  attended  by  Zoe,  come  hastily  along  the  road,  with 
a  face  expressive  of  great  fear. 

''  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  he  asked  hurriedly,  as  she  fell 
into  his  arms.     "  Are  you  ill  ?  —  is  the  "  — 

"The  lake!  the  lake,  father!" 

A  terrible  fear  seized  Justinian's  heart,  but  he  neverthe- 
less controlled  his  feelings  and  spoke  calmly. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Helena  ?  " 

"  The  lake  !  it  is  dried  up." 

In  the  dark  Justinian  could  not  see  the  lake  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  valley,  but  he  guessed  what  had  happened.  The 
lake's  bottom,  shattered  b}^  the  subterranean  convulsions, 
had  been  unable  to  hold  the  w^ater  in  its  cup,  and  the  whole 
body  had  been  drained  off  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 
This,  then,  was  the  third  warning  of  Hephaistos,  and  a 
very  terrible  one  it  was,  for  if  the  crust  of  the  crater  was  so 
convulsed,  the  next  thing  that  would  happen  would  be  an 
outburst  of  fire. 

Justinian  foresaw  all  this  in  a  moment,  but,  without  say- 
ing a  word,  led  his  terrified  daughter  back  to  the  Acropolis, 
where  they  sat  down  on  the  steps.  The  moon,  lately  ob- 
scured by  cirrus-shaped  clouds,  now  burst  out  in  full  splen- 
dor through  the  thin  woof,  and  the  Demarch  with  a  pang 
saw  that  his  beautiful  valley  was  bereft  of  its  gleaming  sil- 
ver eye.  Where  the  calm  expanse  of  water  had  been  was 
now  an  ugly  black  gulf  of  rugged  rock,  and  Justinian  half 
expected  to  see  fire  burst  fiercely  from  those  black  depths. 

"  It  is  nothing,  it  is  nothing,  my  child,"  he  said,  with  a 
confidence  he  was  far  from  feeling;  "the  earthquake  has 
shattered  the  lake,  and  of  course  the  water  has  drained  off. 
Silly  child,  of  what  are  you  afraid  ?" 

"  I  dread  lest  the  crater  should  burst  into  fire." 

''  There  is  no  sign  of  that ;  we  would  have  had  warnings 
long  ago." 


412  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

"  But,  father,  the  earthquake  !  the  lake  !  " 

"  Those  mean  nothing.  Look  hoAV  frequent  are  earth- 
quakes at  Santorin,  yet  people  continue  to  live  there.  As  to 
the  lake,  as  soon  as  this  war  is  over,  I  will  stop  up  the  cracks 
at  the  bottom,  and  it  will  soon  be  filled  again.  Are  the 
women  afraid  ?  " 

"  Some  of  them  ;  still  they  are  all  sleeping  down  below 
with  the  children,  so  I  don't  think  they  attach  much  impor- 
tance to  the  disappearance  of  the  lake." 

"  And  are  you  less  brave  than  these  poor  things  ?  Helena, 
I  thought  you  were  braver." 

"  I  told  Miss  Helena  there  was  no  danger,"  said  Zoe  in 
English,  with  her  pretty  foreign  accent. 

"  There,  you  see,  Helena  !     Zoe  is  not  afraid." 

"  Oh,  I  am  better  now  you  are  with  me,"  said  Helena, 
smiling  through  her  tears  ;  "  but  it  is  so  lonely  here  with  no 
one  but  Zoe  and  that  man  who  drives  the  engine." 

"  Where  are  the  servants  ?  " 

"  I  sent  them  down  to  look  after  the  wounded  who  are  in 
the  village.     But,  papa  —  Maurice  ?  " 

"  He  is  all  right,  and  sends  you  this  kiss  —  there  !  " 

"  Dear  Maurice,  he  never  forgets  me  !  —  and  Crispin  ?  " 

"  Has  safely  left  the  island  with  Gurt,  so,  you  see,  help 
will  soon  arrive.  You  must  be  brave,  Helena;  things  are 
not  so  bad  as  you  think." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  father." 

"  I  do  say  so.  You  have  not  spoken  of  this  volcano  busi- 
ness to  any  one  —  and  you,  Zoe  ?  " 

"  No,  no  ! "  cried   both  the  girls  in  chorus  ;  "  not  a  word." 

"  That  is  right ;  I  do  not  wish  any  one  to  be  frightened 
unnecessarily,  and  you  will  think  of  neither  war  nor  volcanoes 
in  a  few  days.  But  come,  Helena,  give  me  something  to 
eat." 

"  Will  you  stay  here,  father  ?  "  asked  the  girl,  as  she  led 
the  way  into  the  Acropolis. 

"  No,  I  am  a  soldier,  and  must  live  as  the  other  soldiers. 
Let  me  have  a  meal  here,  and  then  you  can  go  to  bed,  while  I 
return  to  the  front." 

"  Can  I  come  down  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  No,  you  have  acted  the  heroine  quite  enough.  There 
will  be  some  tough  work  to-morrow,  and  I  don't  want  to  risk 
losing  you,  my  treasure." 

"  I  may  lose  Maurice." 

"  Don't  think  of  such  a  thing.     He  is  a  true  Roylands,  and 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  413 

bears  a  charmed  life ;  something  to  do  with  that  amber  heart, 
I  suppose." 

"  Did  Maurice  tell  you,  father  ?  " 

"No ;  some  magical  nonsense,  I  suppose.  Well,  well,  come 
and  give  your  poor  father  something  to  eat,  for,  war  or  no  war, 
I  must  have  supper." 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

UNDER     THE     UNION     JACK. 

The  cross  of  St.  Andrew,  the  cross  of  St.  George, 
Are  blent  in  the  folds  which  are  flung  to  the  air, 

And  proud  floats  the  flag  at  the  head  of  the  gorge, 
Proclaiming  the  presence  of  Englishmen  there. 

Red  tint  for  the  blood  which  is  shed  for  the  brave, 
"White,  symbol  of  honor  no  cowardice  taints, 

With  blue  as  a  sign  of  the  circling  wave, 
And  crosses  that  witness  our  faith  and  our  saints. 

It  streams  o'er  the  battle,  forbidding  retreat, 

Reminding  us  ever  of  Albion's  name ; 
Brave  banner  of  England,  unsoiled  by  defeat, 

The  token  of  victory,  valor,  and  fame. 

Shot-ragged  with  bullets  on  numberless  plains. 
It's  folds  with  the  hearts'  blood  of  Englishmen  red, 

Unbeaten,  undaunted  it  ever  remains, 
A  sign  for  the  living,  a  shroud  for  the  dead. 

"  It  must  remain  here,"  said  Justinian  proudly  ;  "  once 
the  English  flag  has  been  brought  to  the  front,  it  cannot 
retreat." 

"  Let  us  hoist  it  by  all  means,"  replied  Maurice  cheerfully  ; 
"  but,  remember,  only  seven  Englishmen  fight  under  its 
folds." 

"  Well,  I  guess,  Mr.  Roylands,  half  a  dozen  Englishmen 
are  worth  fifty  Greeks  !  "  cried  Dick,  with  great  confidence. 
"  Once  we  get  that  Union  Jack  up,  and  I'd  like  to  see  who'd 
pull  it  down." 

It  was  early  morning,  and  they  were  talking  about  the 
flag  which  Helena  had  brought  down  on  the  previous  day. 
As  the  bulk  of  their  army  consisted  of  Melnosians,  who  did 
not  understand  the  sacred  feeling  with  which  it  was  re- 
garded by  the  English,  Maurice  thought  it  hardly  worth 
while  to  plant  it  on  the  palisade  ;  but  the  Demarch,  iu  spite 


414  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

of  his  independent  sovereignty,  was  patriotic  to  the  core  of 
his  brave  old  heart,  and,  with  a  touch  of  sentiment,  insisted 
that  the  attack  should  be  repelled  under  the  unconquered 
banner.  Maurice  therefore  humored  his  uncle,  and  agreed 
to  his  wish,  so  the  live  sailors  planted  a  stout  pole  just  in- 
side the  barricade,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  flag  of  England 
was  floating  proudly  at  the  mouth  of  the  gorge. 

As  yet  the  enemy  had  made  no  move,  so  Justinian  had 
plenty  of  time  to  complete  his  defensive  preparations.  In 
spite  of  her  father's  veto,  Helena,  mindful  of  Maurice's  in- 
structions regarding  broken  glass,  had  come  down  at  dawn 
with  her  women,  all  bearing  bottles,  crockery,  and  earthen 
jars,  which  were  speedily  smashed  to  atoms  and  strewn 
plentifully  on  the  ground  between  the  mine  and  the  barrier. 
Alexandros  had  his  battery  in  good  working  order,  and  had 
ensconced  himself  behind  a  rock  some  little  distance  away, 
from  which,  on  being  signalled  to  by  the  Demarch,  he  could 
explode  the  mine  at  the  proper  time.  The  Melnosians  had 
managed  to  snatch  a  few  hours'  sleep,  and,  encouraged  by 
their  victory  of  the  previous  day,  were  ready  for  the  fight, 
so  a  sense  of  great  hopefulness  was  diffused  among  the  val- 
iant little  garrison.  What  with  the  mine  to  blow  up  the 
enemy,  the  broken  glass  to  cut  their  bare  feet,  —  no  inef- 
fective defence, —  the  guns  ready  loaded  to  sweep  them  down 
as  they  swarmed  up,  and  the  stern  determination  of  the  de- 
fenders to  fight  to  the  bitter  end,  Justinian  felt  that,  in  spite 
of  being  outnumbered,  he  would  be  able  to  hold  the  island 
until  the  return  of  Crispin  with  re-enforcements.  The  more 
perilous  became  the  position,  the  higher  arose  the  spirits  of 
the  defenders,  especially  those  of  the  sailors,  on  whose 
patriotic  feelings  the  presence  of  their  country's  flag  had  a 
wonderfully  inspiring  effect. 

'•'Now  then,  Helena,"  said  her  father,  when  all  prepara- 
tions were  complete,  "  you  had  better  return  to  the  Acropolis 
with  the  women." 

"Very  well,  father;  but  I  will  be  very  anxious  for  your 
safety." 

"  What  about  me  ?  "  asked  Maurice  reproachfully. 

"  Oh,  you've  got  your  talisman,"  she  replied,  with  an  at- 
tempt at  lightness,  "so  you  will  be  quite  safe ;  but  I  am  not 
so  sure  about  father." 

"  Don't  trouble  your  head  about  me,"  said  the  Demarch, 
kissing  her;  "if  I  die  I  die,  and  if  I  live  I  live  —  it's  the 
fortune  of  war.     The  best  thing  you  can  do,  Helena;  is  to  go 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  415 

down  to  the  valley  and  attend  to  those  poor  fellows  who  are 
wounded.  I  know  you  will  be  very  anxious,  my  dear,  so  I 
will  send  Teraistocles  to  you  every  now  and  then  witli  in- 
formation as  to  how  tlie  fight  is  getting  on.  Now,  good-by, 
my  dear  chikl,  and  keep  up  your  spirits." 

"I  will  walk  up  witli  you  to  the  head  of  the  pass,"  said 
Maurice,  turning  away  from  the  palisade ;  ''  there  is  no  sign 
of  the  enemy  getting  under  arms  yet,  so  I  can  easily  spare  a 
few  minutes." 

Helena  of  course  was  delighted  at  thus  having  her  lover 
all  to  herself  for  even  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  walked 
beside  him  up  the  gorge,  followed  by  the  women,  who  had 
taken  an  affectionate  farewell  of  their  sons,  husbands,  and 
brothers.  Zoe  also  was  weeping  bitterly,  as  she  had  just 
parted  from  Dick,  and  dreaded  lest  she  should  never  see 
him  again.  Indeed,  despite  the  danger,  the  men  at  the  front 
were  less  to  be  pitied  than  those  women  remaining  behind  in 
the  interior  of  the  island,  for  while  the  former  were  at  least 
too  occupied  to  fret  over  their  troubles,  the  latter,  with  noth- 
ing to  take  their  minds  off  the  disasters  surrounding  them, 
were  in  a  state  of  suspense  pitiable  to  behold. 

"Do  you  think  Crispin  will  come  back  within  the  week, 
Maurice  ?  "  asked  Helena,  as  she  walked  arm  in  arm  with 
her  lover. 

"  I  hope  so !  If  he  is  picked  up  by  the  Cretan  steamer, 
and  his  yacht  is  now  lying  at  Syra,  I  have  no  doubt  he  will; 
but  it  is  all  the  merest  chance.  However,  come  what  may,  I 
think  we  can  defend  the  island  to  the  end." 

"  It  is  not  of  the  danger  without,  but  of  the  danger  within 
I  am  thinking." 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  This  volcano  "  —  began  Helena,  upon  which  Maurice  in- 
terrupted her  with  a  merry  laugh  of  scorn. 

"  My  dear  one,  do  not  fright  yourself  with  false  fire.  I 
suppose  you  are  thinking  of  the  earthquake  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and  of  the  lake  and  the  springs." 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  them  ?  " 

"The  springs  are  spouting  furiously,  and  the  lake  has  dis- 
appeared." 

"  Great  heavens  !  that  does  sound  ominous,"  said  Maurice 
anxiously.     "  Does  your  father  know  ?  " 

"  Of  course  he  does,  but  he  told  me  not  to  speak  of  it,  lest 
the  people  should  become  panic-stricken,  but  of  course  such 
prohibition  does  not  extend  to  you." 


416  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

^'  The  lake  gone  !  the  springs  active  !  "  repeated  Roylands 
in  a  musing  tone.  "  I  am  afraid  there  is  danger  of  the  vol- 
cano breaking  out  again." 

"  So  I  think ;  but  fatlier  laughs  at  all  my  fears." 

"  It  would  be  a  terrible  catastrophe  should  such  a  thing 
happen,  for  not  one  of  us  could  hope  to  escape.  Besides,  if 
Melnos  became  an  active  volcano,  all  your  father's  forty  years 
of  hard  work  would  go  for  nothing." 

"  Do  you  think  it  is  likely  an  eruption  will  take  place, 
Maurice  ?  "  asked  Helena  in  a  tremulous  voice.  "  You  have 
no  idea  how  afraid  I  am." 

"  Egad !  it  is  enough  to  make  any  one  afraid ;  however,  I 
think  you  can  set  your  mind  at  rest,  Helena.  The  eruption, 
if  there  is  to  be  one,  cannot  possibly  take  place  for  a  week, 
and  by  that  time  Crispin's  yacht  will  have  arrived ;  so  if 
there  are  any  signs  of  an  outbreak,  we  can  escape  at 
once." 

"  Oh,  I  hope  so  !  I  trust  so  !  " 

"What  does  worry  me,"  pursued  Maurice  meditatively, 
"  is  all  this  war  going  on  for  what  may  turn  out  to  be  noth- 
ing but  a  heap  of  cinders.  It  would  be  the  very  irony  of 
fate,  if,  after  beating  back  the  foe,  this  volcano  should  start, 
and  drive  us  away  from  the  very  place  we  have  defended." 

"  If  such  a  thing  happened,  I  do  not  think  my  father 
would  survive." 

"It  would  be  a  blow,  certainly,"  replied  Roylands,  affect- 
ing a  cheerfulness  he  was  far  from  feeling;  "but  one  can  do 
nothing  against  the  giant  forces  of  nature.  However,  He- 
lena, remember  all  the  wealth  of  Melnos  is  safe  in  London, 
thanks  to  the  wisdom  of  my  uncle ;  so  if  Hephaistos  did 
start  a  forge  here,  which  he  seems  inclined  to  do,  we  would 
simply  have  to  abandon  this  island,  and  start  our  scheme  of 
a  new  Hellas  on  another ;  but  this  time  we  would  select  one 
less  dangerous  from  a  volcanic  point  of  view." 

"  But  think  of  forty  years'  work  thrown  away  ! " 

"  And  think  of  leaving  this  paradise !  However,  if  the 
archangel  waves  his  flaming  sword,  we  must ;  still,  if  I  go, 
my  Eve  will  be  with  me,  and  that  will  comfort  me  greatly." 

"  Ah,  my  dear,  dear  Maurice  !  —     Oh,  what  is  that  ?  " 

"  The  roll  of  a  drum,"  cried  Roylands,  stopping  abruptly. 
"  The  enemy  must  have  begun  the  attack,  so  I  will  have  to 
return  to  my  post.  Good-by,  my  dearest,  and  don't  trouble 
yourself.     Remember,  I  have  your  amber  heart.'' 

"  And  my  real  heart  also." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  417 

"Well,  I  leave  mine  with  you  for  safety;  so  I  can't  be 
shot  through  the  heart,  can  I  ?  Jove  !  there's  the  drum  again. 
Give  me  a  kiss.     There,  good-by,  my  dear  one." 

Down  the  gorge  he  tore  at  full  speed,  for  he  already  heard 
the  sharp  crack  of  a  musket-shot ;  and  Helena,  remaining 
where  she  was,  sank  on  her  knees,  which  example  was  fol- 
lowed by  all  her  women ;  and  the  whole  company,  with  up- 
lifted hands,  implored  the  protection  of  Heaven  for  their 
dear  ones  at  the  front. 

Maurice  arrived  at  the  barrier  just  in  time,  for  the  enemy 
were  already  scrambling  up  the  slope  ;  and  Justinian,  catch- 
ing sight  of  his  nephew,  shouted  out  to  him  to  redouble  his 
speed. 

"  Quick,  quick,  Maurice  !  Confound  it,  sir !  they'll  be  on 
us  in  a  few  minutes  !  " 

"  Well,  that  will  be  just  time  for  me  to  recover  my  breath," 
said  the  young  man  good-humoredly.  "  All  in  order,  uncle  ?  " 
"  Yes.     We'll  meet  them  with  rifle-shots  first,  and  give 
them  a  chance  of  cutting  their  feet  to  pieces." 

"But  if  we  let  them  get  so  near,  they  will  assault  the 
barrier." 

"  What !  after  crossing  those  broken  bottles  barefooted  ? 
Don't  you  believe  it,  my  lad.  They  will  be  jumping  about 
like  cats  on  hot  bricks  shortly ! 

All  the  Melnosians  were  in  a  high  state  of  glee  over  this 
snare  for  the  enemy,  which  was  so  simple,  yet  dangerous, 
and  yelled  with  laughter  as  the  foremost  stormers  dashed 
with  their  bare  feet  right  into  the  centre  of  the  sharp  points. 
Of  course,  the  vigor  with  which  they  rushed  forward  ren- 
dered the  glass  all  the  more  effective;  and,  after  receiving 
them  with  a  volley  of  musket-shot,  the  garrison  paused  to 
roar  with  laughter  at  the  sight  of  the  bare-legged  islanders 
hopping  in  agony  over  the  broken  points.  Is  was  not  dig- 
nified, it  was  not  particularly  dangerous,  and  could  hardly  be 
called  legitimate  war;  yet,  by  this  simple  means,  the  first 
rush  was  effectually  checked ;  and  streaming  with  blood,  the 
enraged  stormers  retired,  leaving  a  few  of  their  dead,  who  had 
been  killed  and  wounded  by  the  volley,  lying  on  the  field. 

The  information  concerning  this  stratagem  soon  passed 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  those  of  the  enemy  who  were  not 
yet  climbing  up  the  hill,  dashed  back  to  their  tents,  from 
whence,  after  a  time,  they  emerged,  wearing  tough  leathern 
sandals,  with  the  hair  still  on,  bound  round  their  feet  by 
strong  thongs.     Those  who  had  been  wounded  in  this  novel 


418  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

manner  had,  regardless  of  safety,  sat  down  within  rifle  range 
to  tie  up  their  bleeding  feet ;  and  Justinian,  with  more  gene- 
rosity than  they  would  have  displayed  in  like  circumstances, 
refrained  from  firing  on  them  thus  defenceless. 

Caliphronas,  who,  since  the  death  of  Alcibiades,  now  held 
supreme  command  of  this  irregular  army,  saw  his  forbear- 
ance, and,  sneering  at  Justinian  for  a  soft-hearted  fool,  with, 
for  him,  exceptional  courage,  led  those  of  his  men  who  were 
booted  across  the  dangerous  ground.  Apparently  he  had 
quite  forgotten  how  Alcibiades  had  carried  forward  his  storm- 
ers  the  previous  day  under  the  shelter  of  the  cliff,  for,  ad- 
vancing thus  in  a  compact  body  full  in  front  of  the  palisade, 
they  were  exposed  to  a  raking  fire  from  the  muskets  of  the 
garrison. 

"  Lions  led  by  a  deer  are  not  dangerous,"  quoth  Justinian 
grimly,  on  seeing  this  bad  generalship.  "  I  don't  think  we'll 
have  such  a  bad  time  of  it  as  we  did  yesterday." 

"  Certainly  not,  while  Caliphronas  is  general  of  the  enemy," 
replied  Maurice,  laughing ;  "  but  he  has  some  courage,  I  see, 
for  he  leads  the  stormers." 

"  I'll  soon  frighten  him  back,  sir,"  said  Dick,  who  hated 
Caliphronas  for  his  treachery  on  the  night  of  the  wreck; 
"  will  I  fire  ?  " 

"  Wait  a  minute,  till  they  are  more  conglomerate.    Now  ! " 

The  gun  roared,  and  a  shower  of  grape-shot  splashed  over 
the  advancing  body,  which  did  considerable  damage  in  their 
ranks,  that  is,  if  such  disorderlv  huddling  could  be  dignified 
by  such  a  name.  They  still  continued  to  come  on,  however, 
on  noting  which,  Justinian,  who,  in  default  of  Gurt,  had 
charge  of  the  other  gun,  sent  another  shower  of  grape  among 
them. 

They  wavered  for  a  moment,  but,  as  their  leader  still  urged 
them  to  come  on,  Maurice  snatched  a  rifle  from  the  man 
nearest  him,  and  aimed  deliberately  at  Caliphronas,  not  with 
the  intention  of  killing  him,  but  merely  forcing  him  to  retire 
wounded.  The  ball  struck  Caliphronas  on  the  elbow  of  his 
sword-arm,  and  with  a  yell  of  pain  he  dropped  his  weapon 
and  ran  away,  followed  as  a  matter  of  course,  by  his  soldiers. 

"  At  this  rate,  Maurice,  we  can  hold  the  island  for  a  year," 
said  the  Demarch,  with  a  jeering  laugh  ;  "  it's  child's  play 
compared  with  yesterday." 

"If  we  can  get  them  on  that  mine,  and  explode  it  in  good 
time,  the  siege  will  be  over,"  replied  his  nephew  decisively. 

"  I  am  averse  to  useless  massacre." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  419 

"  So  am  I,  but  if  we  don't  put  the  fear  of  God  into  their 
souls,  they  will  wear  us  out  by  these  puny  attacks.  One 
bold  stroke,  and  they  will  fly." 

"  Well,  do  what  you  will.  I  have  every  confidence  in  your 
generalship." 

The  enemy  again  charged  up  the  hill,  but  this  time  Cali- 
phronas  was  conspicuous  by  his  absence,  as  he  was  evidently 
in  the  camp  attending  to  his  wound.  A  huge  man  in  an 
Albanian  dress  was  leading  this  time,  and  had  at  least  the 
virtue  of  brute  courage,  for,  in  spite  of  the  musket-shots  and 
double  discharge  of  the  cannon,  which  killed  many,  he  still 
advanced  with  his  men  right  up  to  the  palisade. 

'•  Hand-to-hand  again,"  said  Dick,  as  the  Melnosians  began 
to  use  their  bayonets,  "  but  they  won't  get  over  the  barricade 
this  time." 

As  the  barrier  was  now  built  of  nothing  but  turf  overlaid 
with  sank-bags  and  gabions,  the  besiegers  found  their  axes  of 
no  use,  and  were  reduced  to  try  to  swarm  up  to  the  top  of 
the  parapet  in  overwhelming  numbers.  The  garrison,  how- 
ever, shot  freely  into  the  struggling  mass,  but  in  doing  this 
had  to  expose  themselves  greatly,  and  in  consequence  lost 
many  men.  Still,  they  managed  to  drive  back  the  besiegers, 
and  the  two  cannon  belched  forth  grape-shot  alternately,  so 
that  at  length  the  enemy  were  forced  to  retreat  over  the 
brow  of  the  hill.  Thus  relieved  from  immediate  danger, 
the  Melnosians  busied  themselves  with  their  dead  and 
wounded,  carrying  both  to  the  rear,  so  that  their  fighting 
might  not  be  hampered  by  the  cumbering  of  the  ground 
with  bodies.  In  front  of  the  barrier,  the  ground  right  over 
the  brow  of  the  hill  was  thick  with  the  fallen  of  the  enemy, 
and  some  of  the  wounded  were  trying  to  crawl  to  a  place  of 
safety,  while  others,  lifting  up  their  hands,  cried  out  on 
"Christos." 

In  a  remarkably  short  space  of  time,  the  pirates  re-formed 
into  something  like  order,  and,  still  led  by  the  Albanian, 
came  once  more  to  the  point  of  attack.  This  time,  however, 
instead  of  assaulting  the  barricade,  they  lay  down  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill,  and  began  to  pick  off  the  garrison  with 
their  rifles,  while  every  now  and  then  a  small  body  would 
make  a  sally  forward,  only  to  be  beaten  back  with  bayonet 
and  cutlass.  Quite  unaware  of  the  danger  they  were  in,  the 
whole  of  the  firing  party  were  camped  right  on  top  of  the 
mine,  and  Justinian,  wishing  to  end  this  desultory  warfare, 
waited  until  they  were  pretty  well  massed  before  giving  the 
signal  to  explode. 


420  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY, 

Twice  he  raised  his  hand  to  give  the  sign,  and  twice  he 
dropped  it  again,  from  a  sentiment  of  regret,  for,  scum 
though  the  besiegers  were,  it  yet  seemed  a  terrible  thing  to 
hurl  into  fragments  the  fifty  or  sixty  men  who  were  so  calmy 
seated  over  the  mine.  Still  it  was  a  case  of  necessity,  for 
the  garrison,  worn  out  with  incessant  fighting,  were  not  fit 
to  stand  another  assault  such  as  had  taken  place  the  day 
before,  and,  if  the  pirates  captured  the  island,  every  living 
person  would  be  ruthlessly  put  to  death. 

Justinian  was  not  a  uselessly  cruel  man,  and  would  fain 
have  been  spared  the  necessity  of  such  a  wholesale  massacre, 
but  when  he  thought  of  his  child,  and  the  defenceless  women 
who  would  be  left  to  the  mercy  of  these  savages  in  case  of 
capture,  all  feelings  of  pity  died  in  his  breast,  so  when  the 
enemy  were  massed  in  a  great  number  above  the  mine,  he 
gave  the  signal. 

Alexandros  at  once  sent  the  electric  spark  along  the  buried 
wires,  the  ground  in  front  of  the  barrier  heaved  like  a  con- 
vulsed serpent,  and  in  the  concussion  which  followed  the 
roar  of  the  explosion,  every  one  of  the  garrison  was  thrown 
to  the  ground.  When  they  arose  to  their  feet,  the  sight 
which  met  their  eyes  was  frightful,  for  the  ground  was 
strewn  with  fragments  of  human  bodies,  legs,  arms,  trunks, 
heads,  all  lying  about  in  ghastly  confusion.  The  sky  seenied 
to  have  rained  blood,  for  their  garments  were  splashed  with 
the  crimson  fluid;  and  the  whole  space  of  ground  on  the 
crest  of  the  hill  was  rent  and  riven  into  huge  holes.  Of  all 
the  human  beings  resting  there  a  few  minutes  before,  hardly 
one  was  left  alive,  and  down  the  hill  fled  the  frightened 
survivors,  yelling  out  that  an  earthquake  had  taken  place. 
Those  still  in  the  camp  caught  the  alarm,  and  ran  for  the 
boats,  so  in  a  few  minutes  the  harbor  was  dotted  with  craft 
pulling  hard  for  the  entrance.  Not  one  pirate,  save  those 
who  were  wounded,  remained  on  the  beach,  for  this  frightful 
catastrophe,  which  they  ascribed  to  natural  causes,  had  com- 
pletely routed  the  whole  host  which  had  stormed  the  pali- 
sade so  confidently  a  few  hours  before. 

"  The  war  is  over,"  said  Maurice,  who  was  very  pale,  for 
the  shocking  sight  of  the  bodies  in  fragments  was  enough  to 
make  the  bravest  shudder;  "they  have  had  a  lesson,  and 
won't  come  back  again." 

"  I  trust  not,"  said  Justinian,  who  stood  sternly  under  the 
drooping  folds  of  the  Union  Jack,  "but  I  doubt  it  while 
Oaliphronas  is  alive.     Still,  we  have  gained  the  victory  this 


TUB  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  421 

time,  and,  though  I  am  ashamed  of  having  perpetrated  such 
a  wholesale  massacre  under  this  flag,  yet  necessity  knows  no 
law  or  mercy  either." 

"If  we  had  not  beaten  them  by  that  time,  they  would  have 
beaten  us,"  said  Maurice,  taking  a  pull  at  his  brandy-flask, 
"  for  all  our  men  are  about  worn  out,  and  could  not  have 
stood  another  assault.  We  have  lost  a  good  few  too,  and  I 
doubt,  uncle,  if,  out  of  your  hundred  and  twenty  subjects, 
you  have  more  than  thirty  left." 

"  It  has  indeed  been  a  severe  struggle,"  replied  Justinian 
sadly,  "  but  now,  thank  God,  it  is  over  —  at  least,  for  a  time  ; 
but,  as  sure  as  you  stand  there,  Maurice,  Caliphronas  will 
come  back  with  a  fresh  set  of  blackguards." 

"  By  that  time,  Crispin  and  his  re-enforcements  will  have 
arrived,  so  we  will  soon  be  able  to  drive  them  back.     Dick  ! " 

"Yes,  sir?" 

"We  must  repair  damages,  and  bury  the  dead." 

"  Right,  sir  !  " 

It  was  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  they  began 
this  task,  and  not  until  nightfall  were  the  dead  buried 
decently  in  shallow  graves  dug  in  the  sea-shore  sand.  Papa 
Athanasius  came  down  with  all  the  women  from  the  village, 
and  read  the  service  of  the  Greek  Church  over  the  remains 
of  friend  and  foe  alike,  so  that  when  the  moon  arose  above 
the  peaks  of  Melnos,  there  was  no  sign  of  a  struggle  having 
taken  place,  save  in  the  battered  barricade  and  the  rent 
ground. 

When  all  was  completed,  Justinian  held  a  consultation 
with  his  nephew  and  Dick  as  to  the  probability  of  the  foe 
returning  soon,  as,  if  there  was  a  possibility  of  such  an  event 
happening,  it  would  be  unwise  to  leave  the  barrier  unguarded. 
Ultimately,  it  was  decided  to  leave  sentries  on  guard,  with 
cannon  and  muskets  loaded,  and  Alexandros  directed  the 
search  light  full  on  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  so  that  in  the 
event  of  the  enemy  returning,  they  could  be  seen  before 
reaching  shore,  and  the  alarm  given  at  once.  Temistocles, 
who  was  still  in  good  condition,  as  he  had  done  no  fighting, 
was  left  behind  also,  in  order  that  if  an  attack  were  made, 
he  might  run  to  the  Acropolis  to  alarm  Justinian. 

These  arrangements  having  been  made,  the  survivors  of 
the  fierce  fighting  returned  to  the  village,  in  order  to  take 
the  rest  they  so  much  needed.  Loud  were  the  wailings  for 
the  dead  from  the  Melnosian  women,  many  of  whom  were 
now  alone  in  the  world,  and  all  that  night,  those  sleeping  in 


422  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

the  Acropolis  heard  the  sounds  of  bitter  sorrow  rising  from 
the  valley  below.  It  had  been  a  tough  fight,  many  had  been 
lost,  and  much  damage  had  been  done  ;  still,  the  foe  had  been 
forced  to  retreat,  and  Melnos  was  still  under  the  rule  of  the 
Demarch. 

That  night  the  leaders  were  all  gathered  round  the  supper- 
table,  to  make  the  first  good  meal  they  had  tasted  for  days, 
and  Helena  and  Zoe  waited  on  them,  for  all  the  rest  of  the 
servants  were  down  in  the  village  looking  after  the  wounded 
men.  All  of  them  looked  worn  out  and  haggard,  for  the 
strain,  both  physical  and  mental,  had  been  something  terri- 
ble ;  and  even  now,  like  Justinian,  Maurice  and  Dick,  gifted 
as  they  were  with  iron  constitutions,  were  nearly  broken 
down  by  the  terrible  experiences  they  had  undergone. 

*'  My  poor  Helena,  you  look  fit  to  drop,"  said  Maurice  ten- 
derly, drawing  her  down  beside  him.  "  Rest  yourself  for  a 
time,  and  do  not  be  so  afraid.     All  danger  is  now  past." 

"But  think  of  the  many  lives  that  have  been  lost." 

"I  do,  and  regret  them;  still,  selfish  as  it  may  sound, 
remember  we  are  all  safe,  and,  after  all,  that  is  a  great 
thing." 

"I  am  sure  I  don't  know  how  long  we  will  be  safe  with 
this  volcano." 

''  Nonsense,  Helena  !  "  said  her  father  in  a  vexed  tone  ;  "  I 
tell  3'ou  there  is  no  danger  there.  Nothing  new  has  hap- 
pened that  I  know  of.  The  island  is  quite  safe,  but  if  there 
are  any  chances  of  an  outburst,  we  will  get  awa}^  in  Crispin's 
yacht." 

"  That  is  what  I  was  saying  to  Helena  this  morning.  But 
will  you  abandon  the  new  Hellas  ?  " 

"I  must  if  Hephaistos  bids  me.  The  bravest  man  can  do 
nothing  against  a  burning  mountain.  No,  Maurice,  if  I  am 
driven  from  Melnos,  I  will  no  longer  fight  against  fate  ;  al- 
ready, by  the  death  of  so  many,  a  great  deal  of  my  forty 
years'  labor  has  proved  futile,  so  if  the  crowning  touch  is 
put  to  it  by  the  outbreak  of  the  volcano,  I  will  throw  up  the 
game," 

"  And  return  to  England  ?  " 

"Yes.  lam  old  now,  and  want  rest,  so  I  have  no  doubt 
you  and  Helena  will  give  me  a  corner  at  the  Grange.  It 
will  be  a  great  blow  to  me  should  things  turn  out  in  this 
way ;  still,  I  may  be  too  pessimistic,  and  all  may  yet  be 
well." 

"If  I  may  make  so  bold,  sir,"  said  Dick,  who  had  been 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  423 

talking  in  a  whisper  to  Zoe,  "what,  may  I  ask,  is  to  become 
of  me  ?  Zoe,  here,  says,  if  Miss  Helena  goes  to  England, 
she  will  go  too." 

''  Well,  you  will  accompany  her,  Dick,"  said  Maurice  ge- 
nially;  "and  I  have  no  doubt  that,  when  you  are  married,  I 
will  be  able  to  give  you  a  billet  at  the  Grange." 

"  Buy  a  yacht,  sir  ?  " 

"  :N'o,  I  leave  that  to  Mr.  Crispin,  so  you  can  still  take  ser- 
vice under  him,  and  make  Zoe  stewardess.  But  we  are  all 
looking  at  the  black  side  of  things ;  the  mountain  may  re- 
main quiet,  in  which  case  I  will  still  stay  here  and  carry  out 
Justinian's  scheme  of  the  new  Hellas." 

'•Hear!  hear!"  cried  Dick,  lifting  his  glass.  "Beggin' 
pardon,  sir,  but  here's  to  the  health  of  Mr.  Justinian ! " 

"  Coupled  with  the  name  of  Mr.  Roylands,  who  is  a  hero," 
said  Justinian,  bowing  his  thanks  for  the  compliment. 

"  And  add  Helena's  name  also,  for  she  is  a  heroine,"  cried 
Maurice  gayly.  "Now  then,  uncle,  Dick,  Helena,  Zoe  !  three 
cheers  for  our  noble  selves  ! " 

These  were  given,  and  after  that,  quite  worn  out,  all 
retired  to  rest. 


CHAPTEE    XXXVIII. 

THE    PREY    OF    THE    GODS. 

Far  down  the  valley  the  altars  are  reared, 
The  off'ring  no  power  can  delay ; 
For  gods  never  honored,  yet  gods  ever  feared, 
Claim  their  prey. 

The  fire  that  springs  from  the  womh  of  the  earth 
Will  flame  on  these  altars  of  fear; 
The  songs  of  the  living,  the  laughter  and  mirth, 
None  will  hear. 

For  weepings  and  wailings  of  hundreds  afraid 
Roll  up  'neath  the  sting  of  the  rods; 
The  worship  is  ended,  the  sacrifice  made 
To  the  gods. 

Things  went  along  very  smoothly  for  the  next  two  days, 
as  there  was  no  sign  of  the  pirates  returning,  nor  did  the 
volcano  hint  at  any  near  outbreak  of  fire.  Gradually  the 
diminished  population  settled  down  to  their  old  occupations, 


424  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

for  Justinian,  in  spite  of  the  terrible  events  which  had  lately- 
taken  up  the  attention  of  every  one,  judged  it  wisest  to  pre- 
vent any  disorganization  of  his  social  system.  The  few 
men  surviving  returned  to  their  work,  and  did  their  best  by- 
constant  industry  to  make  up  for  their  lack  of  numbers, 
though,  indeed,  a  dismal  silence  had  settled  down  on  this 
rural  population,  once  so  gay  and  mirthful.  Later  on,  when 
all  fear  of  an  invasion  had  passed  away,  Justinian  intended 
to  make  an  excursion  round  the  Archipelago  in  search  of 
new  colonists,  and  had  but  little  fear  that  he  would  be  able 
to  obtain  as  many  as  he  wished,  for  many  islanders  would 
be  only  too  glad  to  place  themselves  under  the  protection  of 
the  wealthy,  eccentric  Englishman. 

Thanks  to  the  Demarch's  wisdom  in  placing  his  money 
with  his  London  solicitors,  he  had  plenty  of  capital  on 
which  to  draw,  and  when  things  were  once  more  quiet,  and 
Melnos  repopulated  from  the  adjacent  islands,  he  made  up 
his  mind  at  once  to  restore  the  tunnel  to  its  former  perfec- 
tion. Certainly  it  would  take  some  time  to  gather  a  number 
of  pure-blooded  Hellenes  for  his  colony,  but  with  plenty  of 
capital  at  his  back,  and  the  productions  of  the  island  in  a 
flourishing  condition,  he  could  afford  to  wait.  Besides,  he 
had  Maurice  now  beside  him,  and  the  young  fellow  was  a 
man  after  his  own  heart,  for,  in  contrast  to  his  former  list- 
lessness  when  in  England,  he  flung  himself  into  Justinian's 
schemes  with  an  ardor  which  delighted  the  old  man.  With 
himself  to  conceive,  and  his  nephew  to  carry  out,  the 
Demarch  was  quite  jubilant  in  spite  of  his  late  reverses,  for 
he  foresaw  that  in  such  capable  hands  Melnos  would  soon  be 
restored  to  its  pristine  glory. 

The  only  thing,  therefore,  which  agitated  his  mind,  was  the 
dread  he  felt  lest  Caliphronas  should  again  assault  Melnos  with 
another  army  of  cut-throats.  Calmly  as  Justinian  had  taken 
the  treachery  of  the  Greek,  yet  in  his  own  soul  he  felt  deeply 
hurt  that  his  years  of  kindness  had  met  with  so  base  a 
return.  He  had  found  Caliphronas  a  poor  shepherd  lad  on 
the  island  of  Andros,  he  had  educated,  clothed,  and  fed  him 
for  many  years,  and  now,  when  perilous  times  came,  not 
only  was  the  ungrateful  scamp  absent  from  his  side,  but 
actually  arrayed  against  him,  being  in  every  way  an  active 
agent  in  bringing  ruin  on  his  benefactor.  However,  if  the 
pirates,  headed  by  this  accomplished  villain,  did  appear 
again,  the  Demarch  knew  well  that  he  could  not  hope  to 
hold  out  against  them  for  any  lengthy  period,  as,  owing  to 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  425 

the  smallness  of  his  garrison,  incessant  watching,  fighting, 
and  suspense  would  wear  out  even  the  bravest  among  them. 

In  this  dilemma  there  was  only  one  thing  left  to  do,  should 
the  pirates  reappear,  and  that  was  to  close  up  the  pass  by 
means  of  the  overhanging  rocks  at  the  cliff  entrance.  True, 
it  would  shut  all  within  the  island  up  in  a  crater  which 
threatened  to  break  out ;  still,  from  all  appearances,  such  a 
volcanic  outburst  did  not  seem  likely  to  take  place,  there- 
fore, if  the  pass  were  firmly  sealed,  they  would  at  least  be 
free  from  their  dangerous  enemies  without,  until  such  time 
as  Meluos  could  be  repeopled,  and  thus  defend  itself.  Not- 
withstanding the  earthquake,  the  disappearance  of  the  lake, 
the  activity  of  the  hot  springs,  the  Demarch  could  not  believe 
that  this  crater,  extinct  for  so  many  thousands  of  years, 
would  break  out  in  eruption  without  giving,  at  least,  some 
serious  warning;  therefore,  with  this  idea,  he  determined,  if 
the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  to  shut  himself  and  his  people 
in,  by  closing  up  the  gorge,  rather  than  abandon  his  forty 
years  of  work  to  the  mercy  of  a  band  of  Levantine  black- 
guards. 

As  to  Helena  and  Maurice,  they  were  perfectly  happy  in 
making  love  to  each  other ;  and,  in  the  intervals  of  such  a 
delightful  occupation,  the  young  Englishman  looked  after 
the  palisade,  at  which  two  sentries  were  constantly  posted, 
wandered  about  the  village  with  his  uncle,  attending  to  local 
matters,  and  twice  or  thrice  a  day  went  to  the  vantage-point 
above  the  side  staircase,  in  order  to  watch  for  the  appearance 
of  Crispin  and  his  yacht.  Daily  both  Maurice  and  his  uncle 
swept  the  offing  with  their  glasses,  but  no  thin  line  of  smoke 
or  glancing  white  sail  showed  that  The  Eunice  was  on  her 
way  to  aid  these  unfortunates. 

Nor  during  all  this  time  was  Dick  idle,  for,  with  a  small 
body  of  men,  he  had  posted  himself  above  the  overhanging 
rocks  at  the  entrance  of  the  pass,  and  there  they  drilled  holes 
in  the  soft  volcanic  soil  for  the  reception  of  dynamite  cart- 
ridges. When  these  were  placed  sufficiently  deep,  Alexan- 
dros  attached  his  wires  to  them,  and  then  threw  these 
thread-like  conductors  across  the  abyss  to  the  opposite  side 
of  the  pass.  At  the  point  where  Crispin  had  gone  over  the 
cliff  a  few  nights  previously,  he  established  a  small  battery 
and  fixed  the  wires  thereto,  so,  in  the  event  of  the  pirates 
approaching  the  island,  the  man  who  was  on  the  look-out  at 
the  vantage-point  had  simply  to  touch  the  button  of  the  bat- 
tery, when  the  enormous  rocks  on  the  other  side  of  the  gorge 


426  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

would  crash  down  in  Titanic  fragments,  closing  up  the  nar- 
row way  irretrievably.  Still,  as  before  stated,  the  Demarch, 
on  account  of  a  lurking  suspicion  of  the  extinct  volcano,  was 
unwilling  to  avail  himself  of  this  aid  until  the  last  moment, 
but  in  any  event,  if  that  last  moment  did  come,  the  rocks 
could  be  exploded  from  the  vantage-point  with  the  greatest 
ease.  The  ropes  which  had  been  used  to  let  down  Crispin 
and  Gurt  were  still  attached  to  the  trunk  of  the  pine  tree, 
but  had  been  carefully  drawn  up,  lest  by  chance,  if  the  pirates 
arrived,  the}^  could  enter  the  island  by  ascending  such  a  con- 
venient ladder,  notwithstanding  the  closing  of  the  pass. 

On  the  early  morning  of  the  fourth  day  after  Crispin  had 
departed,  Justinian  and  his  nephew,  ascending  the  path  at 
the  back  of  the  Acropolis,  went  down  to  the  vantage-point 
through  the  altar  glade,  according  to  custom,  in  order  to  look 
for  signs  of  the  poet's  return.  The  east  was  yet  rosy  with 
the  dawn,  and  the  great  expanse  of  ocean  slept  below  them 
in  serene  calm.  The  long  white  waves  broke  gently  on  the 
sandy  beach,  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind,  and  when  the 
sun  arose  suddenly  out  of  the  sea,  his  long  yellow  rays  shot 
like  bridges  of  gold  across  the  water,  while  his  orb,  invisible 
to  the  watchers,  projected  the  shadow  of  the  island  on  the 
liquid  plain  in  front. 

Temistocles  had  been  on  the  watch  for  some  considerable 
time,  and  as  the  electric  light  was  kept  all  night  constantly 
sweeping  the  surface  of  the  sea  in  search  of  strange  boats, 
Justinian  asked  the  runner  if  there  had  been  any  indications 
of  approaching  danger.  Receiving  a  reply  in  the  negative, 
he  put  up  his  glass  in  hopes  of  discovering  some  signs  of  the 
long-expected  and  much-desired  yacht,  but  not  a  speck  could 
he  behold,  in  spite  of  the  power  of  his  glasses  and  the  keen- 
ness of  his  eyesight. 

"  It's  four  days  since  he  went  away,"  said  the  Demarch  to 
Maurice,  with  a  sigh,  as  he  put  down  his  glass  ;  "  yet  he  does 
not  seem  to  be  coming  back." 

"  You  must  allow  him  more  time,  uncle,"  replied  Maurice 
comfortingly ;  "  you  know  everything  may  not  have  gone 
exactly  as  we  thought.  He  may  have  cruised  about  some 
time  before  being  picked  up  by  the  Cretan  steamer,  and  even 
if  he  were  fortunate  in  meeting  a  boat  at  once  on  his  arrival 
at  Syra,  the  yacht  may  not  have  been  lying  there." 

"  The  yacht  has  had  plenty  of  time  to  get  to  Syra,  Maurice; 
but  either  he  has  missed  the  steamer,  or  else  he  finds  some 
difficulty  in  obtaining  men  from  the  Eparch  of  Syra." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  427 

*^But  surely  in  an  urgent  case  like  this  the  Eparch  will 
send  you  help  at  once.     You  say  he  is  your  friend." 

"  Certainly  he  says  he  is,  but  my  belief  is  that  he  is  jeal- 
ous of  my  independent  sovereignty,  and  would  not  be  sorry 
to  see  my  little  government  come  to  an  end." 

"  What  a  nice  old  gentleman  he  must  be !  But  tell  me, 
uncle,  what  is  the  difference  between  a  Demarch  and  an 
Eparch  ?  " 

"  One  rules  over  one  island,  the  other  over  many.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  a  Demarch  is  a  kind  of  mayor,  and  really  it  is 
too  small  a  title  for  me,  seeing  I  have  a  whole  island  to  my- 
self. Still,  I  am  quite  satisfied  with  it,  as  King  of  Melnos 
is  out  of  the  question,  and  Prince  of  Melnos  sounds  like  the 
hero  of  a  penny  novelette." 

''■  And  what  islands  does  the  Eparch  of  Syra  rule  over  ?  " 

"  Well,  really,  I  quite  forget ;  but  the  Eparch  of  Santorin 
rules  over  Amorgos,  Anapli,  Santorin,  and  los." 

"  Of  course  all  these  Epachs  —  or  what  is  it  ?  —  Eparchs  — 
are  subject  to  the  government  of  King  George  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Then  I  don't  wonder  they  envy  you  this  island.  I  sup- 
pose you  are  the  only  independent  prince  in  the  ^gean  ?  " 

^'  I  am  now,  but  in  former  times  there  were  many.  An 
Italian  family  ruled  as  Dukes  of  Naxos,  another  line  gov- 
erned Seriphos,  but  those  potentates  were  somewhere  about 
the  fifteenth  century.  I  think  the  ruler  likest  to  myself  was 
one  Capsi,  a  kind  of  ancient  pirate,  of  the  Alcibiades  type, 
who  became  ruler  of  Melos." 

''  Melnos  ?  " 

"  No ;  the  island  of  Melos,  without  the  ^  n.'  It  is  a  curious 
coincidence,  is  it  not,  the  similarity  of  name  and  rule  ?  " 

"  Very ;  but  what  became  of  King  Capsi  ?  " 

"Oh,  the  Turks  invited  him  to  Stamboul,  and  then  cut  off 
his  head  for  presuming  to  set  himself  up  as  a  rival  to  the 
Sultan.  But  such  a  fate  is  not  likely  to  happen  to  me,  as  I 
am  very  good  friends  with  Abdul  Hamid." 

"I  think  we  had  better  establish  aline  of  princes,  uncle," 
said  Maurice  in  a  joking  tone.  "You  will  take  the  title  of 
Justinian  I.  ;  when  I  succeed  to  the  throne,  I  will  be  Justin- 
ian II.  ;  and  if  Helena  and  myself  are  fortunate  enough  to 
present  you  with  a  grandson,  he  will  be  Justinian  III.  So, 
you  see,  we  have  an  excellent  beginning  for  a  royal  family." 

"I  do  not  see  why  it  should  not  be  so,"  replied  the 
Demarch   seriously;    "look   at    the    Brookes,   who    became 


428  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

Rajahs  of  Sarawak,  and  the  Bernadottes,  now  Kings  of 
Sweden,  and  then  again  the  Bonaparte  family.  My  dear 
Maurice,  believe  me,  there  are  still  kingdoms  to  be  gained,  if 
he  who  seeks  has  the  nerve,  judgment,  and  fortune  of  a  born 
adventurer.'' 

"  Such  as  yourself." 

"  Exactly  ;  and  you  are  of  the  same  type.  Oh,  that  I  were 
younger,  Maurice,  and  with  you  by  my  side,  we  would  go  to 
South  America  and  carve  out  a  kingdom.  You  smile,  but  I 
tell  you  it  can  be  done." 

"  It  has  been  done  in  Melnos." 

"  Oh,  that  is  nothing !  an  intellectual  training  school  only ; 
but  I  mean  a  real  large  kingdom  on  a  continent." 

"I  may  be  like  you  in  some  things,  uncle,  but  I  do  not 
think  I  have  your  ambition,  as  I  will  be  quite  content  with 
my  island  sovereignty  of  Melnos." 

"  I  daresay  you  are  wise.  But,  Maurice,  what  a  story  all 
your  and  my  adventures  would  make — the  way  you  were 
brought  here  by  Andros  —  the  description  of  the  crater  — 
the  attack  on  the   island  —  why,  it  would  make  a  capital 


romance 


f  " 


"  Which  nobody  would  believe.  They  would  look  upon  it 
as  an  embroidered  lie  of  the  '■  Alroy '  species." 

"  Ah,  the  author  of  that  book  —  Disraeli  —  what  a  man  !" 

"  '  The  wondrous  boy  wot  wrote  "  Alroy,"'  "  said  ^laurice. 
"  Yes,  he  certainly  was  clever ;  a  little  too  fond  in  his  books 
of  Oriental  splendor  perhaps,  but  a  genius  as  a  statesman." 

"  If  Disraeli  had  been  an  Eastern  vizier,  he  would  have 
become  a  king." 

"What  a  desultory  conversation !  "  said  his  nephew,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  we  began  with  Eparchs  and  end  with  possible  sov- 
ereigns. Well,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  this  island  is  big 
enough  for  me  and  the  Princess  Helena." 

"  Who  is  talking  of  the  Princess  Helena  ?  "  cried  a  gay 
voice  behind  them,  and,  on  turning,  they  saw  the  princess 
herself,  w^ith  her  arms  as  usual  full  of  flowers,  looking  at 
them  both  with  a  smile  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  am  the  culprit,  your  highness,"  said  Maurice,  bowing. 
"  When  did  you  arrive  ?  " 

"This  very  moment;  so  if  you  have  been  saying  nice 
things  about  me,  you  may  as  well  repeat  them." 

"  Vanity !  vanity  ! " 

"  All  is  vanity  !  If  that  is  the  only  thing  you  have  to  say 
to  me,  I  will  go." 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  429 

"I  think  we  had  better  all  go,"  said  Justinian,  turning 
away  from  the  cliff.  "  I  am  anxious  for  breakfast,  but  you 
young  people,  I  suppose,  are  content  to  live  on  love." 

"Not  in  this  keen  morning  air,  father.  But  have  you 
seen  any  sign  of  the  yacht  ?  " 

"Not  the  slighest.'" 

"  What  a  bad  thing  !  and  the  pirates  ?  " 

"No  appearance  of  those  gentlemen  either." 

"What  a  good  thing!  I  wonder  who  will  arrive  first 
Crispin  or  Caliphronas  !  "  ' 

"I  trust  the  former,"  answered  her  father  hopefuUv  • 
"but  I  dread  the  latter."  ^  ' 

"  Oh  dear  me  !  "  said  Helena,  with  a  sigh  ;  "  I  do  wish  he 
would  leave  us  alone.  Why  cannot  he  get  an  island  of  his 
own  ?  " 

^    "Ah,  that's  just    it,  my  child!     He   does  not  desire   an 
island  so  much  as  you." 

"  He  will  never  get  me,"  she  answered  resolutely.  "  Sooner 
than  become  the  wife  of  that  traitor,  I  would  throw  myself 
over  the  cliff." 

"  You  can  rest  quite  content,  Helena,"  said  Maurice,  with 
quiet  determination;  "if  Caliphronas  overwhelms  Melnos 
with  his  forces,  he  shall  not  obtain  the  prize  he  desires.  K 
he  captures  you,  it  will  be  over  my  dead  body." 

"Then  he'll  never  capture  me,  for  you  can  easily  conquer 
such  a  coward,"  retorted  the  girl,  with  great  spirit;  "and, 
after  all,  I  don't  believe  he'll  have  the  courage  to  come 
back." 

"  Uncle,"  exclaimed  Roylands  suddenly,  as  he  saw  Justin- 
ian stumble,  "  what  is  the  matter  ?     Do  you  feel  ill  ?  " 

"Not  exactly  ill,"  replied  the  Demarch,  taking  his  neph- 
ew's arm  ;  "but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  awoke  this  morning 
feeling  very  sick  and  faint." 

"  Why,  papa,  so  did  I ! "  exclaimed  Helena  in  surprise ; 
"  that  IS  why  I  came  down  to  the  cliffs  to  obtain  a  breath  of 
fresh  air." 

"I  also  had  a  headache  when  I  awoke,"  said  Maurice,  after 
a  pause;  "so,  as  we  have  all  felt  the  same  thing,  there  must 
be  some  malaria  in  the  air." 

Justinian  gave  a  cry  of  alarm,  and  his  face  blanched  white 
under  its  bronze. 

"  Oh,  Maurice  !    I  dread  to  think  what  it  may  be  ! " 

"  Why,  uncle,  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  The  vapors  of  the  volcano  !  " 


430  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

Both  Helena  and  her  lover  grew  pale  at  these  ominous 
words. 

"Still,"  said  the  latter  anxiously,  "if  they  do  nothing  but 
give  headaches  "  — 

"  You  forget,"  replied  Justinian  in  a  sombre  tone,  as  they 
entered  the  Acropolis;  "we  are  half-way  up  the  crater,  but 
if  the  vapors  are  rising  from  the  volcano,  think  of  all  my 
people  in  the  valley." 

Without  waiting  a  moment,  the  three,  in  a  state  of  great 
alarm,  hurried  to  the  platform  in  front  of  the  temple,  and 
looked  anxiously  down  to  the  village.  Although  it  was  now 
seven  o'clock,  and  the  Melnosians  were  early  risers,  there 
was  no  appearance  of  life  in  the  valley  below,  no  sound  of 
labor  or  voices  ascended,  no  smoke  curled  upward  from  the 
chimneys ;  but  in  the  still  morning  the  cup  of  the  crater 
lay  spread  out  before  them,  a  scene  of  exquisite  beauty,  yet 
terribly,  ominously  calm. 

"  Great  God  !  "  cried  Justinian,  with  a  strangled  sob ; 
^'  can  it  be  as  I  feared  ?  " 

A  man  came  staggering  along  the  mulberry  avenue,  wav- 
ing his  arms  wildly,  and  when  he  came  sufficiently  near,  they 
saw  it  was  the  bos'n  Dick,  pale  and  haggard,  reeling  in 
his  gait  like  a  drunken  man. 

Maurice  ran  forward  to  help  him  as  he  advanced,  and 
ultimately  had  to  carry  him  to  the  steps  of  the  Acropolis, 
while  Helena,  by  her  father's  direction,  ran  inside  for 
brandy  and  smelling-salts.  With  these  they  revived  the 
almost  insensible  sailor,  who  opened  his  eyes  with  a  shud- 
der, only  to  find  three  faces  scarcely  less  haggard  than  his 
own  bending  over  him.  None  of  them  asked  what  had  hap- 
pened, for  the  intense  quiet  of  that  valley  told  its  own  ter- 
rible story,  and  Justinian  knew  that  in  one  night  he  had  lost 
the  whole  of  his  subjects  through  the  deadly  vapors  breathed 
by  the  awakening  volcano. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Justinian  !  Mr.  Roylands  !  it  is  horrible  —  hor- 
rible!" said  Dick,  sitting  up  w4th  difficulty.  "They  are  all 
dead  !  —  not  one  left  alive  ;  and  my  poor  messmates  are  gone 
also.    Let  us  leave  this  cursed  place,  sir,  or  we  will  die  also." 

Dick  had  fought  bravely  all  through  the  campaign,  and 
was  a  man  but  little  given  to  emotion,  yet  so  unnerved  was 
he  by  the  fearful  catastrophe  that  had  happened,  that  he  bur- 
ied his  face  in  his  hands  and  almost  wept  in  the  intensity  of 
his  agony.  Maurice  and  Helena  also  were  paralyzed  with 
dread,  for,  however  daring  human  beings  may  be,  the  most 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  ^31 

resolute  quail  before  the  gigantic  powers  of  nature,  and, 
high-spirited  as  they  all  were,  their  hearts  thrilled  with, 
fear  as  they  recognized  in  what  a  deatli-trap  they  were 
snared. 

Only  Justinian  preserved  a  certain  amount  of  calmness,  — 
Justinian,  who  suffered  more  than  the  others,  for  this  was 
the  crowning  blow,  and  his  whole  untiring  labor  of  forty 
years  had  been  swept  away  as  naught  in  a  single  hour. 

"  It  is  not  a  valley,"  he  cried,  looking  downward  in 
despair ;  '•  it  is  a  tomb  enclosing  many  dead.  Oh,  my  poor 
Melnosians  ! " 

"  How  did  you  discover  it,  Dick  ?  "  asked  Maurice  in  an 
awed  tone. 

"After  you  went  away  this  morning,  sir,  I  walked  down 
to  the  valle}^,  in  order  to  get  ray  messmates  to  go  on  with 
that  mining  work  in  the  pass ;  but  I  felt  a  bit  headachy  and 
queer.  However,  I  did  not  think  about  it,  and  went  down 
the  stair.  Just  as  I  got  down  half-way,  I  felt  a  poisonous 
breath  of  air  wafted  up  from  below,  wliich  seized  me  by  the 
throat,  and  made  me  fall  down  insensible  by  that  statue  of 
Apollo.  I  don't  know  how  long  I  lay  ;  but  it  was  lucky  I 
was  not  farther  down,  or  else  1  would  have  been  stifled  ;  as 
it  was,  little  breaths  of  the  gases  floated  up,  but  the  cool  air 
above  revived  me  somewhat,  and  I  managed  to  crawl  up 
higher.     Then  I  came  along,  sir  ;  and  you  helped  me  here." 

"  And  are  they  all  dead  ?  " 

'-  They  must  be,"  said  Justinian  in  a  tone  of  despair.  "  I 
see  how  it  is  we  escaped.  You  know  the  Grotto  del  Cane 
at  Naples,  Maurice,  where  a  man  can  enter  freely,  but  a 
dog  dies  ?  that  is  because  the  vapors  only  rise  a  certain 
height.  Down  below  there,  when  all  were  sleeping,  the 
gases  must  have  been  breathed  slowly  from  the  mouth  of 
the  volcano,  and  stifled  every  soul.  They  could  not  rise 
higher  on  account  of  their  weight,  so  we  managed  to  escape 
death.  Look  at  that  valley!"  cried  the  De march,  with  a 
passionate  gesture  ;  ''  it  is  a  smiling  death-trap.  We  can  see 
nothing;  but  half-way  up  the  cup  it  is  fllled  with  deadly 
poison,  which  would  kill  us  were  we  to  descend.  Oh,  my 
poor  people  !  dead  !  dead  !  all  dead  !  " 

He  hid  his  face  in  his  hands,  overcome  with  horror  at  the 
sight ;  and  Dick,  somewhat  cured  of  the  poisonous  vapors  he 
had  inhaled,  arose  to  his  feet  with  an  effort. 

"We  must  get  away  from  here,  Mr.  Maurice.  We  dare 
not  stay  another  night,  for  even  if  that  volcano  does  not 


432  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

burst  out,  the  gases  will  rise  and  rise  until  the  Acropolis 
will  be  below  their  level.     We  must  fly." 

"  And  how  can  we  fly  ?  "  asked  Justinian  abruptly.  "  We 
have  no  boats  —  those  scoundrels  of  Caliphronas'  have 
destroyed  them  all.  The  only  thing  we  can  do  is  to  abandon 
the  Acropolis,  and  go  to  the  sea-shore,  in  order  to  wait  the 
arrival  of  Crispin  to  save  us." 

"  But  if  the  volcano  breaks  out,  uncle  ?  " 

"  In  that  case  we  must  die.  The  island  is  so  small,  that, 
with  this  crater  in  full  fury,  we  would  be  crushed  under  the 
weight  of  the  stones  thrown  out,  or  burned  to  death  by  the 
streams  of  lava.  Our  only  hope  is  Crispin  ;  and  as  to  this 
death-trap  we  must  leave  it  at  once.     Helena ! " 

Helena  did  not  answer.  She  was  crouching  down  with 
her  head  on  the  lap  of  Zoe,  who  had  joined  the  group  ;  and 
the  two  girls  were  too  terrified  to  speak,  but  lay  silent  with 
horror,  a  mere  huddled  mass  of  humanity. 

"  How  many  of  us  are  left  alive  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  raising 
the  girl  to  her  feet. 

"  About  ten,  sir,"  replied  Dick,  making  a  rapid  calculation. 
"  Those  two  who  are  on  the  sentry-go  at  the  palisade,  Alex- 
andros,  who  is  down  there  attending  to  the  mine.  Temistocles, 
who  is  on  the  look-out,  the  man  here  who  drives  the  engine, 
myself,  Zoe,  Miss  Helena,  yourself,  and  Mr.  Justinian." 

The  Demarch  flung  up  his  hands  with  a  cry  of  horror. 

"  Ten  survivors  out  of  nearly  two  hundred  people  !  Oh, 
there  is  a  curse  on  me  and  mine !  It  is  useless  to  fight 
against  fate,  Maurice.  We  must  fly  this  very  minute,  and 
trust  to  Providence  to  be  spared  until  the  arrival  of  the 
yacht.     Hark!  what  is  that?" 

There  was  a  low  moan,  which  seemed  to  come  from  the 
lips  of  the  crater,  and  a  moment  afterwards  the  earth 
trembled  slightly.  It  was  the  dreaded  voice  of  the  earth- 
quake, as  they  knew  only  too  well ;  and,  with  a  sudden  im- 
pulse, all  turned  to  fly.  The  valley  smiled  peaceful  and 
serene  in  the  brilliant  sunshine,  the  white  peaks  glittered 
like  Pentelican  marble  against  the  sky,  the  delicate  green 
of  the  foliage,  the  myriad  hues  of  the  flowers  met  their  eyes 
on  all  sides;  yet  under  this  mask  of  smiling  loveliness  raged 
fierce  subterranean  fires,  which  were  already  pressing  furi- 
ously upward  to  shatter  the  whole  beautiful  scene  into 
Titantic  fragments  of  stone., 

"Let  us  take  provisions,  water,  wine — what  we  can,"  said 
Justinian  rapidly,  as  he  led  the  way  into  the  Acropolis. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  433 

"  There  is  not  a  momeut  to  be  lost.     We  must  fly  without 
delay.'' 

The  unfortunates  made  as  much  speed  as  they  could,  and 
collected  all  the  food  they  could  find,  assisted  by  Argyro- 
poulos,  who  had  been  called  by  the  Demarch  from  his  engine. 
Fortunately  there  were  but  few  valuables  to  take  away,  as 
Justinian  had  always  lived  with  great  simplicity,  and  all  his 
money  was  safe  in  London.  The  Demarch  hastily  gathered 
up  a  few  of  his  papers,  some  money,  and  a  little  jewelry 
which  belonged  to  Helena ;  while  the  others  loaded  them- 
selves only  with  necessaries,  such  as  provisions,  wine,  water, 
and  cloaks  to  protect  them  should  they  have  to  pass  the 
night  on  the  beach.  Helena,  weeping  bitterly,  took  leave  of 
all  her  beloved  flowers ;  and  never  had  the  court,  with  its 
snowy  pillars,  sporting  fountain,  and  mass  of  blossoms, 
looked  so  beautiful  as  it  did  on  this  fatal  morning.  Argos, 
poor  bird,  was  strutting  proudly  about,  quite  unaware  of  his 
danger;  and  Helena,  touched  by  a  feeling  of  compassion, 
impulsively  spoke  to  Maurice. 

"  Shall  we  take  Argos  with  us  ?  " 

"I  am  afraid  we  cannot,  my  dear  girl.  See,  we  are  all 
heavily  laden.     Where  is  my  uncle  ?  " 

"He  has  gone  to  take  a  last  look  at  the  valley,"  said 
Helena,  bursting  into  tears. 

"  Poor  uncle ! "  ,  . 

At  that  moment  Justinian  reappeared  in  the  court,  with  a 
haggard  face,  his  shoulders  bent  with  the  weight  of  his 
grief.  In  a  few  hours  he  had  aged  years,  and  now  this  ter- 
rible blow  had  broken  him  down  completely.  He  had  taken 
one  last  farewell  of  the  valley  he  loved  so  much,  of  his  dead 
people  who  were  there  sleeping  in  their  terrible  tomb,  of  all 
his  schemes  for  reviving  the  old  Hellas  of  the  past ;  and  now 
took  up  his  burden,  in  common  with  the  rest,  to  abandon  the 
Acropolis  forever. 

The  little  band  sadly  left  the  beautiful  home  in  which 
they  could  no  longer  hope  to  dwell,  and  took  their  melan- 
choly way  up  the  Avinding  path  which  led  up  to  the  altar 
glade.  Argyropoulos  went  flrst,  then  Dick  came,  supporting 
the  weeping  Zoe,  and  finally  Justinian,  wdth  his  nephew  on 
one  side  and  his  daughter  on  the  other,  came  slowly  walking 
along,  overcome  with  grief.  All  his  schemes,  all  his  expen- 
diture, all  his  w^orks  were  now  at  an  end;  and,  as  far  as 
results  went,  the  last  forty  years  of  his  busy  life  had  been 
absolutely  wasted. 


434  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

Just  as  they  reached  the  altar  inscribed  Oeof,  which  had 
witnessed  of  late  the  birth  of  young  love,  Temistocles,  in  a 
state  of  great  excitement,  came  running  up  the  path  which 
led  from  the  cliffs. 

''  Kyrion  !  Kyrion  !  the  pirates  !  pirates  !  "  he  cried  in 
Greek. 

''  Another  blow  !  "  said  Justinian,  with  a  harsh  cry.  "  Are 
we  not  to  escape  with  our  lives  ?     How  many  boats  ?  " 

''  Eight,  Kyrion,  crowded  with  men." 

^'  What  misfortune  !  "  muttered  the  Demarch,  letting  his 
chin  sink  on  his  breast.  "  Pirates  without  —  fire  within. 
We  are  lost !  " 

''  On  the  contrary,  we  are  saved,"  cried  Maurice,  with  a 
sudden  inspiration.  ''Don't  give  way,  uncle.  Caliphronas 
has  arrived  at  a  most  opportune  moment,  for  we  will  use 
their  boats  in  order  to  escape." 

''  Impossible  !" 

"  Not  at  all.  I  will  explain  my  scheme  when  we  get  down 
to  the  verge  of  the  cliff.  Come,  Temistocles,  Dick,  Argyro- 
poulos.  Forward  all.  We  will  hoist  those  scoundrels  on  their 
own  petard." 

"If  I  can,"  cried  Justinian  in  a  rage,  raising  his  hands  to 
heaven,  "  I  will  make  a  holocaust  of  them  to  the  infernal 
gods ! " 


CHAPTER   XXXIX. 
Justinian's  revenge. 

The  past  is  shattered, 

The  future  lost. 

Now  tempest-battered, 

My  soul  is  tossed 

From  billow  to  billow  on  life's  wild  sea, 

With  nothing  but  sorrow  and  care  for  me. 

The  gods  have  spoken, 

My  prayers  they  spurn, 

Yet  tho'  thiis  broken, 

I  make  return 

Of  holocausts  high  on  their  altars  bare, 

An  offering  bitter  of  my  despair. 

The  saying,  "  It  never  rains  but  it  pours,"  was  fully  exem- 
plified by  the  series  of  calamities  which  had  befallen  the 
once  peaceful  Isle  of  Fantasy  and  its  inhabitants.     First  the 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  435 

treachery  of  Caliphronas,  then  the  war  which  had  killed  so 
many  people,  now  a  threatened  eruption  of  an  apparently 
excinct  volcano,  and,  to  crown  all,  a  band  of  pirates  waiting 
at  the  only  outlet  of  escape,  to  massacre  the  survivors  as 
they  fled  from  the  perils  within.  Evidently  the  sms  of 
Rudolph  Roy  lands'  youth  were  now  bearing  fruit,  and  his 
ancestral  Ate  was  now  exacting  her  full  penalty  for  those 
half-forgotten  episodes  of  his  early  life,  by  depriving  him 
of  all  he  valued  most  in  the  world.  One  thing  after  another 
had  been  torn  from  his  reluctant  grasp,  and  now  it  seemed 
as  if  his  life  itself  was  to  crown  the  measure  of  repayment. 
Standing  on  the  lofty  cliff,  with  his  nephew,  daughter,  and 
dependants  beside  him,  Justinian  watched  the  pirates  land- 
ing from  their  boats  with  cynical  despair,  feeling  that  the 
end  of  all  things  had  come  as  far  as  he  was  concerned. 

Owing  to  the  mental  and  physical  trials  of  the  last  few 
weeks,  the  Demarch  had  lost  to  a  great  extent  his  iron  nerve, 
and  could  no  longer  conceive,  decide,  and  execute  his  pro- 
jects with  his  former  promptitude.     The  loss  of  his  island 
had  turned  him  from  a  vigorous,  determined  leader  into   a 
feeble  old  man,  and  although  now  and  then  his  spirits  did 
flash  up  with  a  gleam  of  brilliancy,  it  was  apparent  to  every 
eye  that  he  was  no  longer  fitted  either  to  lead  or  control 
matters  at  this   final   crisis   of   affairs.     It   was   then   that 
Maurice  showed  himself  a  capable  commander,  and,  leaving 
his  worn-out  uncle  to  the  care  of  the  women,  instinctively 
took  affairs  into  his  own  hands  without  further  loss  of  time. 
Of  course  he  still  deferred  to  Justinian  as  ostensible  head 
of  all  things,  but  it  was  he  who  made  all  suggestions,  and 
the  Demarch  did  little  else  than  agree  to  all  his  propositions. 
First  of  all,  Maurice,  getting  from  Justinian  the  key  of  the 
iron  gate,  sent  Temistocles  down  the  staircase  to  call  up 
Alexandros  and  the  two  Melnosians,  in  order  to  concentrate 
in  one  spot  all  the  survivors  of  the  island,  and  decide  upon  a 
course  of  action.     When  they  came  up  to  the  vantage-point, 
Temistocles  locked  the  iron  gate  again,  and  restored  the  key 
to  his  master,  after  which  all  the  men  sat  down  to  consider 
the  position  of  affairs. 

It  was  now  noon,  and  the  sun  at  his  zenith  was  blazing 
hotly  down  on  the  lava  rocks  of  Melnos,  which,  flinging  back 
the  glare,  rendered  the  heat  almost  intolerable.  The  pi- 
rates, having  drawn  up  their  boats  on  the  beach  inside  the 
harbor,  had  retreated  to  their  old  camp,  the  tents  of  which, 
untouched  by  the  Melnosians,  were  still  standing.  There  they 


436  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

evidently  intended  to  remain  until  it  grew  cooler,  in  order 
to  assault  the  palisade,  quite  ignorant  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Melnos  were  all  dead,  and  that  the  volcano  was  on  the 
point  of  bursting  out  in  eruption.  Had  they  known  this 
latter  fact,  they  would  speedily  have  fled  away  from  the  ill- 
omened  spot ;  but  Maurice  was  glad  they  were  thus  ignorant, 
as  he  wished  to  use  one  of  their  boats,  in  order  that  himself 
and  his  party  might  escape  from  the  coming  explosion  of  the 
mountain. 

"  Do  you  think  the  pirates  will  assault  the  palisade  this 
afternoon,  uncle  ?  "  asked  Maurice,  anxious  for  the  old  war- 
rior's opinion. 

"No,  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Justinian,  shaking  his 
head.  '•  They  have  evidently  been  rowing  here  all  the 
morning,  and  are  tired  out.  It  is  probable  they  will  sleep 
all  the  afternoon,  and  attack  us  just  when  it  grows  dusk. 
What  do  you  propose  to  do,  Maurice  ?  " 

"  First,  pull  down  the  palisade." 

"  What !  and  thus  lose  our  only  defence  !     You  are  mad !" 

"There  is  some  method  in  my  madness,  as  you  will  see, 
uncle.  I  wish  to  pull  down  the  barrier,  so  that  when  the  pi- 
rates come  up  to  assault,  they  will  find  no  difficulty  in  pass- 
ing up  the  gorge.  Of  course,  suspecting  nothing,  they  will 
make  their  way  right  into  the  interior  of  the  island,  while 
we,  who  are  in  their  rear,  can  go  down  the  side  staircase,  on 
to  the  beach,  and  then  push  off  in  a  boat  before  they  return.'' 

"  It's  a  good  idea,  sir,"  said  Dick,  scratching  his  head  ; 
"  but  suppose,  when  they  get  inside  the  palisade,  they  should 
come  up  the  stair  and  find  us  here." 

"  They  won't  do  that,  Dick,  for  we  will  lock  the  gate ;  and 
you  can  depend  upon  it,  when  they  find  the  pass  open,  they 
will  not  waste  their  time  in  trying  to  force  this  side  path. 
If  they  can  gain  the  interior  of  the  island  by  an  open  way, 
they  certainly  won't  try  to  pass  in  by  a  blocked  one." 

"  Don't  you  think  they  will  suspect  treachery,  Maurice  ?  " 

"  No,  uncle.  In  the  first  place,  most  of  these  are  new  ar- 
rivals, and,  in  spite  of  what  their  comrades  have  told  them, 
won't  believe  we  are  —  or  rather  were  —  so  strong.  And  in 
the  second  place,  they  will  think  we  have  retreated  up  to  the 
second  palisade,  so  even  if  they  stop  there,  we  will  have 
time  to  get  to  sea." 

"What  about  this,  Kyrion  ?  "  said  Alexandros,  pointing  to 
the  battery,  which  stood  near ;  "  will  we  not  wait  till  the 
enemy  are  under  the  rocks,  and  then  bring  them  down  to 
crush  all  ?  " 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  437 

"  By  no  means,  Alexandres ;  for  by  so  doing  we  would 
close  up  the  only  avenue  of  escape  left  to  us.  It  will  not 
be  much  gratitication  crushing  the  enemy,  if  we  only  attain 
that  by  letting  ourselves  be  blown  up  by  the  volcano." 

Alexandres  looked  rather  unhappy  at  this,  as  he  was  proud 
of  his  work,  and  would  have  liked  to  show  how  skilfully 
his  battery  worked  ;  but  he  recognized  the  force  of  Ro}^- 
lands'  reasoning,  so  said  no  more  about  it.  Justinian  was 
also  silent,  but  simply  because  he  had  conceived  a  plan  for 
punishing  his  enemies ;  and  looking  at  the  battery,  the  rocks 
frowning  over  the  pass,  and  the  coils  of  rope  near  the  pine 
tree,  he  glanced  suddenly  at  Alexandres  with  a  significant 
smile,  whereupon  the  quick-witted  Greek  saw  that  the 
Demarch  had  some  scheme  in  his  head,  and  that  his  battery 
would  yet  be  utilized.  Accordingly,  when  all  the  men  de- 
scended to  the  gorge  for  the  purpose  of  levelling  the  pali- 
sade, Alexandres  lingered  behind  with  Justinian  to  receive 
his  orders. 

"  What  is  it,  Kyrion  ?  "   he  asked  in  Greek. 

"  Alexandres,"  replied  the  Demarch  fiercely,  "  I  am  leaving 
this  island  forever,  for,  as  you  knew,  all  our  friends  are 
dead ;  but  I  will  leave  behind  me  an  offering  to  their  manes 
of  all  those  scoundrels  who  have  given  me  such  trouble. 
You  must  carry  out  my  wish." 

"  I  will,  Kyrion." 

"  By  those  ceils  of  rope  up  there  you  can  escape  down  the 
face  of  the  cliff  ?  " 

"  Easily,  Kyrion  ;  I  am  a  monkey  in  climbing." 

"  Good  !  Well,  when  the  pirates  have  gene  up  the  pass, 
and  we  have  gained  the  boat  on  the  beach,  you  remain 
behind,  and,  when  T  give  the  signal,  explode  the  mine.  Thus 
the  pass  will  be  closed  up,  sealing  the  pirates  up  in  the 
crater,  so  if  the  volcano  does  burst  out,  they  will  be  blown 
to  pieces." 

"  I  will  do  it,  Kyrion,"  said  Alexandres,  who  liked  this 
scheme  immensely  ;  "and  then  I  can  escape  down  the  cliff." 

"  Keep  it  to  yourself,"  said  the  Demarch  in  a  whisper,  as 
they  went  out  of  the  iron  gate ;  "  Mr.  Maurice  is  toe  tender- 
hearted, and  might  net  like  it." 

Hew  Justinian  could  reconcile  this  proposed  massacre  with 
the  aversion  he  had  felt  the  previous  day  in  exploding  his 
mine,  it  is  hard  to  say,  but  the  fact  is,  with  all  his  troubles, 
his  brain  was  becoming  slightly  affected,  and  he  now  deemed 
it  a  point  of  honor  to  sacrifice  his  enemies  to  the  manes  of 


438  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

his  dead  subjects.  After  all,  as  he  considered,  and  very 
truly,  these  pirates  were  but  dangerous  desperadoes,  which 
the  ^gean  could  v^y  well  spare,  so  the  sooner  they  were 
cut  short  in  their  nefarious  careers  the  better  for  the  island- 
ers of  the  Cyclades.  Besides,  Rudolph  Roylands  had,  even 
in  his  old  age,  a  wild  and  lawless  spirit,  only  curbed  by  his 
wonderful  powers  of  self-control,  and  in  thus  avenging  him- 
self on  the  enemies  who  had  destroyed  his  cherished  schemes, 
he  was  indulging  in  a  burst  of  that  Baresark  fury  which  he 
inherited  from  his  Norse  ancestors. 

With  hard  work  the  eight  men  managed  to  make  a  breach 
in  the  earthworks  through  which  the  enemr  could  pass,  and 
all  the  carefully-built  fortifications  were  levelled  to  the 
ground.  It  was  growing  dusk  when  they  finished,  and 
already  they  could  hear  a  stir  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  so, 
rapidly  completing  their  work  of  devastation,  they  returned 
to  the  vantage-point,  where  they  had  left  the  women.  Only 
the  Demarch  and  his  nephew  lingered  behind,  the  one  to 
lock  the  iron  gate,  and  the  other  to  carry  away  the  Union 
Jack,  which  still  floated  proudly  over  the  ruined  barricade. 

-'  They  won't  get  this,  at  all  events,  uncle,"  said  Maurice 
gleefully,  as  he  hauled  down  the  flag ;  "  I  wouldn't  have  it 
fall  into  their  hands  for  a  thousand  pounds." 

"  Sooner  burn  it,"  retorted  the  Demarch  fiercely  ;  "  but 
hurry  up,  Maurice,  for,  judging  from  the  noise  they  are  mak- 
ing, I  suspect  their  forces  are  being  drawn  up." 

Roy  lands,  with  the  folds  of  the  flag  wrapped  round  his 
body,  ran  through  the  iron  gate  with  his  uncle,  and  the  latter 
having  locked  it  carefully,  they  ascended  the  staircase  in 
order  to  wait  events. 

It  was  just  at  that  hour  after  sunset,  when  the  day  blend- 
ing with  the  night  produces  that  luminous  twilight  so 
noticeable  in  the  Mediterranean.  The  little  band,  concealed 
from  sight  on  the  high  cliff,  could  easily  see  in  the  warm 
glow  how  rapidly  the  enemy  were  gathering  their  forces 
together,  but,  in  spite  of  all  endeavors,  none  of  them  could 
see  Caliphronas. 

"  I  don't  expect  he  has  come  back,  uncle." 
"  Oh  yes,  he  has,"  replied  the  Demarch  grimly  ;  "  but,  on 
the  plea  of  his  wound,  he  will  remain  behind  in  the  camp, 
and  let  his  army  do  the  work.  Once  they  conquer,  he  will 
come  out  and  crow.  That  is  Andros  all  over  ;  he  likes  to  be 
the  monkey,  and  use  others  as  cats  to  pull  the  chestnuts  out 
of  the  fire," 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY,  439 

"  I  am  very  glad  he  is  not  leading  them,"  said  Maurice 
thoughtfully,  "  for  he  would  be  keen  enough  to  mistrust  ap- 
pearances, and  refrain  from  entering  the  pass  in  case  of 
treachery,  in  which  case  we  would  be  kept  prisoners  up 
here." 

Helena  uttered  a  low  cry  of  fright,  and  hid  her  tace  on 
Maurice's  shoulder,  for  at  this  moment  the  earth  began  to 
tremble  slightly.  The  shock,  however,  was  not  a  severe  one, 
and  did  no  damage,  still  it  made  the  whole  party  feel  uneasy, 
and  wish  they  were  relieved  from  their  perilous  position. 
The  four  Melnosians,  who  had  lost  all  their  friends  and  rela- 
tives, looked  like  statues  of  despair  ;  still,  so  selfish  is  man 
for  himself,  that,  though  all  their  pleasure  in  life  was  gone, 
they  were  as  uneasy  and  anxious  to  be  saved  as  the  rest  of 
the  party. 

Luckily,  owing  to  the  ardor  with  which  the  enemy  were 
forming  their  lines,  they  had  not  noticed  the  ominous  warn- 
ing of  the  earthquake,  and  were  evidently  about  to  make  a 
grand  assault  on  the  barrier.  At  a  given  signal,  they  rushed 
wildly  up  the  hill,  shrieking  like  fiends,  but  recoiled  in  dis- 
may as  they  saw  the  ruins  of  the  palisade.  Evidently  sus- 
pecting treachery,  they  consulted  together  for  a  moment, 
then  cautiously  went  forward  into  the  pass.  Finding  no  foe 
there  to  confront  them,  they  became  more  confident,  and  as 
Caliphronas,  who  could  have  shown  them  the  way,  was  not 
present,  they  took  no  notice  of  the  iron  gate,  but  marched 
boldly  up  the  gorge,  firing  their  rifles  at  intervals,  until 
there  was  not  a  single  man  left  either  at  the  palisade  or  on 
the  beach. 

There  was  not  a  moment  to  be  lost,  so,  Justinian  leading, 
with  Maurice  and  Dick  following  with  the  women  and  the 
Melnosians,  they  went  down  to  the  foot  of  the  stair,  un- 
locked the  door,  and  as  rapidly  as  possible  ran  down  the  hill 
to  the  beach.  Placing  Helena,  Zoe,  and  all  their  bundles  m 
the  best  boat  they  could  select  in  their  hurry,  Dick  and  Ar- 
gyropoulos  pushed  it  off  into  deep  water. 

"Where  is  Alexandros  ? "  asked  Maurice,  noticing  the 
absence  of  the  electrician  for  the  first  time. 

Justinian,  with  a  grim  smile,  turned  his  face  towards  the 
cliffs  and  raised  his  hand,  both  to  point  out  Alexandros  to 
Maurice,  and  to  give  the  signal  for  the  exploding  of  the 
mine.  Maurice  stared  aghast  for  a  moment,  and  would  have 
spoken,  but  before  he  could  open  his  mouth  there  was  a  tre- 
mendous roar^  and  the  great  rocks  at  the  mouth  of  the  pass 


440  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

crashed  down  with  a  noise  like  thunder,  blocking  up  the  en- 
trance for  ever. 

"  You  have  shut  the  pirates  in,  uncle  !  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Demarch  fiercely  ;  "  I  have  triumphed 
over  my  enemies." 

"  But  Alexandros  ?  " 

"  Is  safe.     See  !  he  is  sliding  down  the  rope." 

"  And  the  volcano  !  " 

Even  while  the  words  were  on  his  lips,  the  ground  began 
to  shake  convulsively,  and  with  a  cry,  Helena  fell  back 
in  the  boat  in  a  dead  faint.  Maurice  and  Justinian  were 
thrown  to  the  ground,  and  high  above,  amid  the  encircling 
peaks,  shot  up  a  mighty  column  of  smoke,  streaked  with 
red  fire. 

"  The  volcano  !  "  cried  Maurice,  dragging  his  uncle  to  his 
feet.  "  Quick  !  quick  !  get  into  the  boat.  Dick  !  Alexan- 
dros ! " 

They  were  both  beside  him,  and  assisted  to  take  the 
Demarch  towards  the  boat,  but,  to  their  dismay,  found  it  had 
been  left  high  and  dry  by  the  receding  waters,  which  were 
curling  backward  from  the  land  in  streaks  of  livid  white. 
The  volcano  now  began  to  cast  out  great  stones,  and  at  inter- 
vals showers  of  boiling  water,  while  lurid  flames  flashed 
fiercely  through  the  gigantic  column  of  smoke  which  loomed 
terrible  and  vague  above  the  fatal  island. 

"  God  !  we  will  be  killed  !  "  cried  Maurice,  as,  with  the  aid 
of  Dick  and  Alexandros,  he  began  to  push  the  boat  slowly 
towards  the  sea.  "  Helena !  Helena !  lie  down  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boat." 

In  order  to  push  the  craft  to  sea,  Maurice  had  been  forced 
to  leave  his  uncle,  but  the  old  man  was  now  on  his  feet  run- 
ning towards  him.  Suddenly  there  was  a  shriek  of  agony, 
and  through  the  falling  stones,  through  the  blinding  dust, 
through  the  rain  of  fire,  rushed  Caliphronas,  making  for  the 
boat. 

"  Save  me,  save  me,  Justinian  !     Maurice,  help  !  " 

"  Traitor  !  "  cried  Justinian,  turning  fiercely  on  the  Greek  ; 
"  now  you  shall  reap  the  reward  of  your  treachery." 

A  thick,  sulphurous  smoke  was  spread  around,  and  in  this 
the  two  men  were  struggling,  locked  in  a  deathly  grip. 
Temistocles  and  his  three  countrymen  were  already  afloat, 
pulling  away  as  hard  as  they  could ;  but  Maurice  gave  him- 
self up  for  lost,  as,  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts  and  those  of 
Dick,  the  boat  was  too  firmly  imbedded  in  the  sand  to  be 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  441 

moved.  Great  bombs  came  shooting  up  into  the  sky  from 
the  heart  of  the  volcano,  and,  bursting  in  the  lurid  air,  huge 
rocks  and  showers  of  stones  came  crashing  down  on  all  sides  ; 
and,  to  add  to  the  horror  of  the  night,  Maurice,  with  a  cry  of 
despair,  saw  the  sea  rushing  violently  up  to  the  land. 

"  Uncle  !  uncle  !  the  boat !  the  boat ! " 

Dick  and  Alexandres  scrambled  in,  while  Maurice  ran  to 
help  Justinian ;  but,  before  he  could  reach  him,  he  was 
ingulfed  in  the  waves  of  the  sea,  and  half  blindly  saw  a  huge 
stone  fall  from  heaven  on  his  uncle  and  the  struggling  Greek. 
The  waves  foamed  around  the  pair,  but,  without  a  cry,  Cali- 
phronas  had  been  struck  down,  a  bleeding,  smashed-up  mass, 
under  the  cruel  rock ;  while  Justinian,  also  struck  on  the 
chest,  could  make  no  effort  to  save  himself.  Borne  up  by 
the  force  of  the  sea,  Maurice  felt  rather  than  saw  the  boat 
rush  past  him  towards  the  beach,  but  with  an  almost  super- 
human effort  he  managed  to  clutch  his  insensible  uncle  and 
keep  afloat.  The  waters  around  were  seething  furiously, 
great  stones  kept  splashing  down  on  all  sides,  and  above  he 
could  but  see  a  sky  of  intense  black  smoke,  through  which 
played  forked  flashes  of  red  fire. 

The  sea,  having  dashed  right  up  to  the  cliffs,  began  to 
retire,  upon  which  Dick  and  Alexandres  leaped  out  of  the 
boat  to  lighten  her,  and  thus  try  to  float  her  back  into  deep 
water.  Maurice  staggered  to  his  feet,  with  his  uncle  in  his 
arms,  and  strove  to  reach  the  boat.  Borne  outward  by  the 
retreating  waters,  the  light  craft  swept  past  him,  but  he 
also,  abandoning  himself  to  the  waves,  was  carried  seaward. 
In  another  second  the  boat  was  in  deep  water,  and  Dick,  who 
had  never  let  go  the  gunwale,  leaped  in  with  Alexandres. 
They  looked  anxiously  through  the  gloom  for  Maurice  and 
the  Demarch,  and  as  at  this  moment  a  flash  of  scarlet  fire 
lighted  up  the  furious  sea,  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  them, 
and,  in  spite  of  the  still  outward-rushing  water,  tried  to  row 
obliquely  towards  the  pair.  For  a  moment  it  looked  as  if 
they  could  not  be  saved,  but  fortunately,  Maurice,  though 
half  stunned,  still  retained  his  senses,  and  was  able  to  clutch 
the  oar  which  Dick  held  out  towards  him.  By  this  he  was 
drawn  gradually  to  the  boat,  which  was  rocking  violently  in 
the  disturbed  sea. 

"  Take  —  uncle  !  —  uncle  first !  " 

Dick,  with  the  assistance  of  Alexandres,  managed  to  pull 
the  insensible  man  on  board,  after  which,  Maurice,  half  dead 


442  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

with  exhaustion,  also  scrambled  into  the  boat,  and,  the  sea 
now  being  calmer,  they  rowed  rapidly  out  to  sea. 

The  volcano  was  now  spouting  fire  furiously,  and  by  the 
glare  they  were  able  to  see  the  entrance  of  the  breakwater. 
By  a  miracle,  they  escaped  the  falling  stones,  but,  just  as 
they  were  gliding  past  the  massive  masonry,  they  saw  the 
boat  of  Temistocles  dashed  to  pieces,  and  all  on  board  go 
down  in  the  crimson  flood.  INIuch  as  tliey  wished  to  save  the 
unfortunate  men,  they  were  unable  to  do  so,  for  every  second 
they  expected  to  be  dashed  to  pieces,  so,  with  the  strength 
of  despair,  they  shot  out  of  the  harbor  far  into  the  sea 
beyond.  Justinian,  Helena,  and  Zoe  were  all  lying  insensible 
at  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  Maurice  was  at  the  helm,  and 
Alexandros,  with  Dick,  was  pulling  for  dear  life,  so  as  to  get 
beyond  the  range  of  the  projectiles  shot  from  the  volcano. 

Alas,  the  beautiful  Island  of  Fantasy !  it  was  now  nothing 
but  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  all  the  dead  Melnosians,  the  living 
pirates,  had  been  reduced  to  ashes  in  that  terrible  furnace. 
Already  streaks  of  glowing  lava  began  to  move  slowly  down 
the  sides  of  the  mountain,  colossal  tongues  of  fire  shot  up- 
ward to  the  silent  stars,  and  explosions,  like  distant  can- 
nonading, shook  the  mountain  to  its  base.  The  noise  was 
something  deafening,  but,  luckily  for  the  fugitives,  they  were 
now  beyond  the  rain  of  stones,  rocks,  and  bombs,  while  the 
sea,  though  still  disturbed,  was  comparatively  quiet. 

They  were  floating  on  an  ocean  of  blood,  for  the  crimson 
glare  of  the  spouting  fire  smote  sky  and  sea  alike  with  its 
fiery  blaze,  and  away  in  the  distance  arose  the  deserted  Mel- 
nos,  with  its  peaks  crowned  with  thick  vapors,  from  whence 
flashed  streaks  of  fire. 

The  ever-turning  wheel  of  time  had  come  full  circle,  and 
the  long  extinct  volcano  was  once  more  a  burning  mountain, 
vomiting  death  and  destruction  on  all  sides ;  while  far 
beyond,  on  the  scarlet  waters,  floated  the  little  boat  contain- 
ing five  human  beings,  all  that  remained  of  the  inhabitants 
who  had  dwelt  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  Melnos. 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  443 

CHAPTER  XL. 

DEATH    PAYS    ALL    DEBTS. 

The  day  is  ended,  the  night  is  near  — 

That's  how  I  look  at  my  end. 
The  night  is  over,  the  day  breaks  clear  — 

Such  is  your  creed,  my  friend. 
But,  yours  or  mine,  does  it  matter  much 

Which  of  our  faiths  is  the  true  one  — 
Mine,  with  its  failure  a  future  to  touch, 

Or  yours,  so  sure  of  a  new  one  ? 

We  both  know  nothing  of  what  comes  next, 

For  that  is  my  firm  belief  ; 
'Tis  waste  to  preach  on  an  unproved  text, 

And  harrow  our  souls  with  grief. 
My  life  has  not  been  what  you  call  pure, 

Yet  when  drops  this  vexed  life's  curtain, 
I  think  my  future  is  quite  as  sure 

As  yours  with  its  heaven  certain. 

Without  doubt  Crispin's  star  was  in  the  ascendant  when 
he  left  Melnos  on  that  perilous  voyage  to  Syra,  for  in  a  very 
short  space  of  time  he  was  picked  up  by  a  Cretan  steamer, 
and,  on  his  arrival  at  his  destination,  found  the  yacht  lying 
in  the  harbor.  Owing  to  her  likeness  to  the  unfortunate 
Eunice  which  had  been  wrecked,  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
recognizing  her  among  the  gay-colored  caiques  and  steamers 
from  all  countries  which  thronged  in  the  bay  below  the 
white  town  of  Syra.  Hurrying  at  once  on  board,  he  was  met 
by  the  Rector,  Mrs.  Dengelton,  and  Eunice,  who  were  both 
surprised  and  delighted  to  see  him  so  soon  after  their  arrival 
in  the  ^gean.  A  long  conversation  at  once  ensued  between 
the  four,  and  Crispin  described  the  perilous  position  in  which 
he  had  left  Justinian,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
Rector,  who  could  not  understand  that  pirates  still  existed. 
As  for  Mrs.  Dengelton,  she  asserted  that  no  power  on  earth 
would  induce  her  to  go  to  Melnos,  where  there  were  so  many 
dangers ;  but  in  this  selfish  determination  she  was  overruled 
by  her  daughter  and  Mr.  Carriston. 

It  having  been  settled  that  all  on  board  would  remain, 
Crispin,  in  company  with  Gurt,  hurried  off  to  see  the  Eparch, 
and,  on  explaining  the  state  of  Melnos  to  him,  managed  to 
obtain  about  fifty  men  in  order  to  assist  the  besieged.  They 
were  marched  on  board  at  once  ;  and  late  next  day  the  yacht 


444  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

set  sail  for  the  Island  of  Fantasy,  with  every  one  in  a  fearful 
state  of  excitement  at  the  prospect  of  coming  adventures. 

During  the  voyage  they  met  with  a  head  wind,  but  this 
made  but  little  difference  to  The  Eunice,  which,  beating  the 
water  with  her  powerful  screw,  forged  steadily  ahead  in  spite 
of  wind  and  wave.  The  Hon,  Mrs.  Dengelton  had  long  since 
recovered  from  sea-sickness,  and  was  now  as  lively  as  ever, 
chatting  gayly  with  Mr.  Carriston,  while  Crispin,  now  being 
for  the  time  at  leisure,  made  love  to  Eunice.  Both  the 
lovers  were  in  the  seventh  heaven  of  happiness  at  thus  being 
reunited,  and,  had  it  not  been  for  the  state  of  uncertainty  he 
felt  about  Melnos,  Crispin  would  have  been  perfectly  happy. 
For  a  wonder,  Mrs.  Dengelton  had  kept  her  promise,  and  not 
persuaded  Eunice  to  marry  any  one  else ;  for  which  honor- 
able conduct  she  deserved  no  praise,  for  as  yet  Crispin  was 
the  wealthiest  suitor  The  Parrot  had  secured  for  her  daugh- 
ter. The  lady,  however,  made  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  fre- 
quently pointed  out  to  Crispin  how  straightforwardly  she 
had  behaved,  for  which  meritorious  conduct  the  poet  was 
duly  thankful. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton,  recovering  her  breath  after  a 
long  harangue  ;  "  when  I  make  a  promise  I  keep  it.  I  said, 
Find  out  whom  you  are,  and  you  shall  have  my  daughter. 
Well,  here  is  Eunice,  and  here  am  I,  both  waiting  for  the 
promised  explanation.  Now,  then,  Mr.  Crispin,  who  are 
you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  yet." 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  you  cannot  find  out?"  screamed  the 
lady. 

"No,  I  don't  say  so,  Mrs.  Dengelton.  As  soon  as  we  arrive 
at  Melnos,  Justinian  will  tell  me  everything  I  and  you  desire 
to  know." 

"  Justinian  ! "  echoed  Mrs.  Dengelton  crossly,  determined 
not  to  be  satisfied.  "  Oh,  dear  ]\Ir.  Crispin,  do  not  call  my 
brother  by  that  heathenish  name  ! " 

"  It  is  an  honorable  name  !  "  said  the  Kector  good-naturedly. 
"  You  know  it  was  Justinian,  the  Emperor  of  the  East,  who 
built  St.  Sophia,  and  was  the  author  of  the  Pandects.  My 
old  friend  Rudolph  could  scarcely  have  chosen  a  more  suit- 
able name  for  a  lawgiver." 

"It  is  really  wonderful  to  think  of  Rudolph  still  being 
alive,"  mused  Mrs.  Dengelton,  taking  no  notice  of  the  Rec- 
tor's historical  explanation.  "  It  will  be  like  meeting  a 
stranger,  for  I  was  a  child  in  long  clothes  when  he  left 
England." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  445 

"  Yes  ;  fifty  years  does  make  a  difference." 

"  Fifty  years  ! "  shrieked  Mrs.  Dengelton,  seeing  he  had 
made  a  mistake.  "  Oh,  quite  impossible,  my  dear  Kector  !  — 
why,  I  am  only  forty-five,  and  as  I  was  born  when  Rudolph 
left,  it  really  cannot  —  it  cannot "  — 

She  was  unable  to  utter  that  nauseous  statement  of  fifty 
years,  so  the  Eector  good-humoredly  came  to  her  relief. 

''Of  course  not  —  of  course  not,  my  dear  lady.  Time  flies 
so  quickly  that  we  are  apt  to  make  mistakes.     Your  age,  of 


course,  is  —  is 


9" 


"  Forty-five,"  murmured  the  lady  bashfully.  "  Ah,  I  am 
indeed  growing  old.  But  I  will  be  glad  to  see  Kudolph 
again,  and  my  niece.  You  say  she  is  beautiful,  Mr. 
Crispin  ?  " 

"■  Lovely  !  —  as  lovely  as  Eunice  here." 

"  Good  looks  run  in  our  family,"  said  Mrs.  Dengelton  com- 
placently. "I  myself — well,  there,  I  was  just  like  Eunice 
at  her  age.     Yes,  I  will  be  glad  to  see  Helena ! " 

-'And  I  will  be  glad  to  see  Melnos  !"  interposed  the  Rec- 
tor. "  You  can  have  no  idea,  my  dear  Crispin,  how  interested 
I  was  in  Maurice's  letter  concerning  this  scheme  of  reconsti- 
tuting Hellas.  It  is  a  noble  dream,  which  may  turn  out  into 
a  reality." 

"  Always  provided  there  is  no  trouble  from  the  pirates  or 
the  volcano,  Mr.  Carriston." 

"  Oh,  I  trust  that  the  volcano  is  quiescent ;  and  as  for  the 
pirates,  I  judge,  from  your  description  of  the  defences,  that 
Maurice  will  be  able  to  keep  them  at  bay  until  we  arrive." 

"  Certainly  as  a  last  resource  they  can  close  up  the  pass," 
said  Crispin  thoughtfully  ;  "  but  that  would  leave  them  at  the 
mercy  of  the  volcano." 

"  The}^  may  be  all  burnt  up,"  observed  Mrs.  Dengelton  in 
a  sepulchral  tone ;  "and  instead  of  Rudolph  I  may  meet  a 
cinder." 

"  I  don't  think  so,  Mrs.  Dengelton.  Whatever  happens, 
I  have  full  faith  in  Justinian's  powers  of  extricating  himself 
from  any  dilemma;  besides,  Maurice  also  is  ingenious  in 
ideas." 

"My  dear  lad ! "  said  the  Rector,  with  emotion.  "I  am  so 
anxious  to  see  him.  This  siege  seems  to  have  made  a  new 
man  of  him." 

"  I  don't  think  you  would  recognize  him,  Rector.  He  is 
not  listless  now,  but  full  of  life  and  spirits.  Love,  open-air 
life,  and  responsibility  have  wrought  wonders." 


446  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"And  when  do  you  think  we  will  be  in  sight  of  Melnos  ?  '^ 

"To-morrow  morning,  I  think,  but  Gurt  will  know." 

Leaving  Mrs.  Dengelton  and  Eunice  in  the  cabin,  the  two 
gentlemen  went  on  deck  to  see  Gurt,  who  gave  it  as  his 
opinion  that  they  certainly  would  sight  Melnos  at  dawn. 

'•  I  hope  we  will  find  them  alive,  Gurt." 

"  Don't  you  fear,  ]Mr.  Crispin,  sir.  Why,  I'd  back  Mr.  Roy- 
lands  against  the  Dook  of  Wellingtin  himself  for  fightin'." 

The  Rector  was  much  delighted  with  Gurt,  especially 
when  he  saw  how  the  sailor  worshipped  INIaurice ;  and  the 
tale  of  the  siege  of  the  island,  as  told  by  Gurt,  with  Maurice 
as  the  hero,  was  as  brilliant  and  unreliable  as  "  The  Arabian 
Xights  Entertainments."  Xever  being  able  to  hear  enough 
about  his  dear  lad,  Mr.  Carriston  asked  Gurt  to  once  more 
recite  his  Iliad,  which  the  sailor  was  nothing  loath  to  do, 
and  the  story  lasted  until  all  retired  to  rest. 

The  next  morning  at  dawn  they  Avere  in  Cretan  waters, 
and  the  Rector,  Crispin,  and  Gurt  were  all  on  the  lookout 
for  the  island.  Just  about  sunrise  they  saw  its  conical 
shape  dimly  on  the  horizon,  and  Crispin,  who  had  his  glasses 
up,  uttered  a  cry  of  dismay. 

"  Why,  there's  smoke  ! "  he  said  anxiously.  "  Can  the  vol- 
cano have  broken  out  ?  " 

"  I  hope  not !  I  trust  not !  "  cried  Carriston,  turning  pale. 
"  Let  me  look,  Crispin.     You  surely  must  be  mistaken." 

Alas  !  there  was  no  mistake,  for,  as  they  drew  nearer,  even 
without  the  aid  of  the  lengthy  tube  of  the  binocle,  the  crest 
of  the  island  appeared  to  be  topped  by  a  dark  cloud  of 
smoke,  and  they  could  hear  at  intervals  the  muffled  roar  of 
the  volcano  breathing  fire  and  fury. 

"  0  God !  0  God !  my  poor  friends  ! "  groaned  Crispin, 
sinking  down  in  deep  despair;  while  the  Rector,  stunned 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  calamity,  could  say  nothing  — 
not  even  a  word  of  comfort.  Both  Mrs.  Dengelton  and 
Eunice  were  weeping  bitterly  at  the  thought  of  their  terri- 
ble loss  ;  but  Gurt,  in  spite  of  the  smoking  volcano  before 
his  eyes,  sturdily  refused  to  believe  that  Justinian  and  his 
company  were  dead. 

"  Don't  'ee  believe  it,  Mr.  Crispin  !  Mr.  Maurice  knows  a 
thing  or  two.  If  any  one's  frizzled,  I  guess  it'll  be  them 
pirates ;  but  Mr.  Justinian  and  Miss  Helena !  —  Lor',  sir, 
Mr.  Maurice  'uU  see  to  'em  ! " 

At  this  moment  the  man  on  the  lookout  cried  out  that 
there  was  a  boat  in  sight  to  the  eastward,  on  which  cheering 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  447 

intelligence  the  hearts  of  all  revived,  in  the  hope  that  it 
would  prove  to  be  their  friends  escaped  from  the  fatal 
island.  The  yacht's  head  was  turned  towards  the  speck  m 
the  distance,  and  she  steamed  ahead  at  full  speed,  so  as  to 
put  an  end  to  all  suspense,  while  every  one  crowded  to  tlie 
taffrail,  in  order  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  the  occupants. 

"  Glory  !  glory  !  "  yelled  Gurt,  dancing  about  in  a  state  of 
great  excitement.  "There's  Mr.  Maurice,  sir!  and  Dick! 
What  did  I  tell  'ee,  Mr.  Crispin  !     Glory  !  glory  ! " 

"I  don't  see  Justinian,"  said  Crispin  anxiously;  "but  see, 
there  are  two  women.     Those  will  be  Helena  and  Zoe  !  " 

"  Sum'at  lyin'  in  the  boat,"  cried  Gurt,  who  had  climbed 
up  the  weather  rigging ;  "  maybe  it's  Mr.  Justinian.  Get 
her  ahead,  sir,  an'  we'll  soon  have  'em  on  board." 

The  Eunice  slowed  down  her  engines  when  she  approached 
the  caique,  and  the  anxious  faces  bending  over  the  side  saw 
that  it  contained  Maurice,  Dick,  Helena,  and  Zoe,  all  fright- 
fully haggard-looking  objects,  and  that  at  the  bottom  of  the 
boat  lay  the  form  of  a  man  covered  with  the  folds  of  the 
Union  Jack.  The  two  young  men,  who  seemed  quite  worn 
out  with  fatigue,  brought  the  caique  alongside  the  yacht, 
and,  having  passed  up  the  women  and  the  insensible  Justin- 
ian,'climbe'd  on  board  themselves.  Then  ensued  a  scene  of 
heartfelt  welcome  and  congratulations,  in  which  Maurice 
especially  was  nearly  overwhelmed  by  the  embraces  of  Cris- 
pin and  the  Hector. 

"  Is  Justinian  dead  ?  "  asked  Crispin,  when  the  first  excite- 
ment had  somewhat  subsided. 

"  No  ;  but  I  am  afraid  he  is  dying  ! " 

"My  poor  lad!"  said  the  Kector  pityingly;  "you  are 
quite  worn  out.      Crispin,  are  you  still  going  on  to  Mel- 

nos  ?  " 

"  What  is  the  use,  sir  ?  "  said  Dick  bitterly ;  "  it's  nothing 
but  a  heap  o'  cinders." 

"  Any  one  still  left  on  the  island  ?  " 

"  Crispin,"  said  Maurice  solemnly,  "  with  the  exception  of 
those  you  see,  every  soul  on  the  island  is  dead.  I  will  tell 
you  all  soon,  but  meanwhile  I  must  have  something  to  eat,  a 
bath,  and  a  sleep." 

The  women  had  already  carried  off  Helena  and  Zoe,  to 
attend  to  them  in  their  cabin,  Justinian  was  taken  down  and 
put  to  bed,  and  the  yacht's  head  was  turned  back  to  Syra 
without  delay,  in  order  to  obtain  a  doctor  for  the  dying 
Demarch. 


448  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  Where  is  Alexandres,  Dick  ? "  asked  Gurt,  as  he  at- 
tended to  the  wants  of  the  boatswain. 

"  Fell  overboard ! "  replied  Dick  sadly  ;  "  he  got  away 
with  us  from  that  cursed  island,  but,  being  weak  with  all  his 
work,  tumbled  into  the  water.  We  tried  to  save  him,  but 
he  was  so  weak  that  before  we  could  reach  him  he  went 
down." 

"  And  that  *ere  Count  ?  " 

"  Oh,  a  stone  from  the  volcano  smashed  him  up.'^ 

"Served  him  jolly  well  right !"  said  Gurt  cruelly.  "My 
eye,  Dick,  *ow  glad  I  am  t'  see  ye,  and  Zoe  too  ! " 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  for  Mr.  Roylands,  we'd  all  have  been 
lost,  Gurt ! " 

"Didn't  I  say  so !  "  cried  Gurt,  bringing  his  fist  down  on 
the  table  with  a  mighty  thump.  "  Wot  a  man  he  is  !  Lord 
Nelsing  and  the  Dook  of  Wellingtin  were  nothin'  to  him  — 
nothin'  ! " 

In  spite  of  the  speed  of  the  yacht,  she  was  unable  to  reach 
Syra  in  time  to  save  the  life  of  the  Demarch,  for  the  stone 
from  the  volcano  had  so  crushed  in  his  chest,  that  internal 
hemorrhage  had  taken  place,  and  there  was  no  hope  of  saving 
his  life.  He  revived,  however,  shortly  after  being  taken  on 
board,  and  was  conscious  to  the  last,  not  without  some 
gleams  of  his  former  grim  humor  at  the  cause  of  his  death. 

"  That  ungrateful  Melnos  ! "  he  said  feebly,  as  he  lay  back 
in  his  berth,  clasping  his  daughter's  hand ;  "'  I  gave  it  bread, 
and  it  returns  me  a  stone  —  a  stone  to  crush  me  to  death. 
Well,  at  all  events  it  killed  Andros,  and  of  that  I  am  glad." 

"Hush,  hush,  my  dear  friend!"  said  the  Kector  gently; 
"you  must  not  talk  like  that.     Forgive  your  enemies." 

"  What !  forgive  that  monster  of  ingratitude,  who  brought 
so  many  troubles  on  me,  and  ruined  my  schemes." 

"  Yes,"  said  Carriston  firmly  ;  "  the  greater  the  sinner,  the 
more  need  has  he  of  forgiveness.  If  you  forgive  not  your 
enemies  their  sins,  how  can  you  expect  God  to  forgive 
you  ?  " 

"  What  about  yourself,  Rector  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  enemies,"  replied  Carriston,  with  great  dig- 
nity;  "but  even  if  I  had,  I  would  forgive  them  freely." 

"Very  well,"  said  the  Demarch,  with  a  cynical  smile, 
which  but  ill  became  his  pallid  face  ;  "  I  will  put  you  to  the 
test.     Call  in  every  one." 

Considerably  puzzled  at  this  remark,  the  Rector  did  as  he 
was  bidden,  and  in  a  short  space  of  time,  Maurice,  Crispin, 


THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY.  449 

Mrs.  Dengelton,  and  Eunice  were  gathered  round  the  bed  of 
the  dying  man.  Helena  still  sat  near  him,  holding  his  hot 
hand;  and  the  Demarch,  thus  having  got  his  audience  to- 
gether, began  to  make  his  last  confession. 

''  You  say,  Eector,  you  have  no  enemies." 

"  No,  not  that  I  know  of  ! " 

"  Think  a  little,  Mr.  Carriston.  What  about  thirty  years 
back  ?  " 

"  Thirty  years  back  !  "  repeated  Carriston,  growing  pale. 

"  And  Captain  Malcolm,  who  ran  off  with  your  wife  and 
child  ! " 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  "  asked  the  Eector,  with  a  re- 
proachful glance  at  Roylands.     "  Has  Maurice  "  — 

"  I  have  said  nothing,  sir,"  cried  Maurice,  flushing  deeply  ; 
"  how  can  you  suspect  me  of  such  a  thing  ?  " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  my  dear  lad,"  replied  the  Rector  pen- 
itently ;  "  I  was  wrong  to  do  so.  Still,  how  does  Mr.  Justin- 
ian know  "  — 

"For  the  very  simple  reason  that  he  was  Captain  Mal- 
colm," said  the  Demarch  faintly. 

"  You  !  "  cried  Carriston,  recoiling  with  a  shudder,  —  "  you  ! 
Are  you  the  man  who  wrecked  my  life,  and  stole  my  dear 
ones  from  me  ?  " 

"  I  am  that  man  ! "  said  Justinian,  looking  at  him  with 
weak  defiance.     '•  Come  now,  where  is  your  forgiveness  ?  " 

The  Rector  was  deeply  moved,  and  sat  on  the  edge  of  the 
berth,  with  his  hands  clasped,  and  great  drops  of  perspira- 
tion rolling  down  his  pale  face.  A  terrible  struggle  was 
going  on  in  his  mind,  for  it  appeared  to  him  almost  impossi- 
ble to  forgive  this  man,  who  had  wronged  him  so  bitterly. 
Justinian,  observer  of  human  nature  to  the  last,  looked  at 
him  with  a  faint  sneer  on  his  dying  lips. 

"  I  thought  you  would  not  practise  what  you  preached." 

"  You  are  wrong !  you  are  wrong ! "  cried  the  Rector, 
springing  to  his  feet.  "  God  forgive  me !  I  should  not  have 
hesitated  a  moment.    I  do  forgive  you!    I  forgive  you  freely." 

Justinian  Avas  so  moved  to  sudden  emotion  at  this  noble 
behavior  on  the  part  of  the  man  he  had  wronged,  that  for 
the  moment  he  was  deprived  of  speech. 

"  I  see  there  are  some  good  men  still  on  earth,"  he  said  at 
length  in  a  faltering  voice.  "  Mr.  Carriston,  I  thank  you  for 
your  noble  conduct,  which  has  taken  me  quite  by  surprise. 
I  acknowledge  I  have  wronged  you  deeply,  and  cannot  palli- 
ate my  conduct,  but  I  can  and  will  make  reparation." 


450  THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY. 

"  My  wife  ?  "  groaned  the  Rector  bitterly. 

"  Is  dead  ;  but  your  son  is  by  your  side." 

The  Rector  turned  suddenly  round  and  found  himself  face 
to  face  with  Crispin,  whose  countenance  was  as  pallid  as  his 
own.  They  gazed  for  a  moment  at  one  another,  suffocated 
with  emotion,  then,  casting  all  restraint  to  the  winds,  fell 
into  one  another's  arms. 

"  You  will  find  all  the  necessary  papers  to  convince  you  of 
this  truth  with  my  lawyers  in  London,"  said  the  Demar(;h, 
with  evident  pleasure  at  this  meeting  of  long  parted  father 
and  son. 

"I  am  convinced  now,"  replied  Carriston,  as  he  stood  with 
his  hand  on  Crispin's  shoulder.  "  Yes !  this  is  indeed  my 
son." 

"  Still,  you  had  better  see  the  papers,"  said  Justinian 
faintly.  "  There  is  a  letter  for  you  from  your  wife,  which 
will  tell  you  all  you  wish  to  know.  Rector,  I  have  been  a 
great  sinner,  I  know,  still  I  don't  think  there  are  many 
actions  I  regret  so  much  as  robbing  you  of  your  wife.  How- 
ever, I  have  done  my  best  to  make  amends,  and  you  have  for- 
given me.     But  Crispin?" 

"  I  also  forgive  3- on  freely,"  said  Crispin,  clasping  the  hand 
of  the  dying  man ;  "  for  by  this  confession  you  have  not  only 
given  me  a  father,  but  a  wife." 

"Yes,  take  her!"  sobbed  Mrs.  Dengelton,  pushing  her 
daughter  towards  the  poet.  "  I  always  liked  you,  Crispin,  — 
or  shall  I  say  Mr.  Carriston  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  must  be  Crispin  Carriston,"  said  the  Rector, 
drawing  Eunice  towards  him,  "  for  I  love  the  name  of  Cris- 
pin too  well  to  part  with  it." 

"  My  dear  father !  " 

"  Maurice  ! "  said  Justinian,  who  was  getting  weaker. 

"  Yes,  uncle  ?  " 

"  You  will  find  my  will  at  my  lawyer's ;  it  leaves  all  the 
money  to  you  and  Helena,  who  is  to  be  your  wife." 

"My  dear  wife!"  repeated  Maurice,  kissing  the  weeping 
girl.     "  As  to  your  money,  uncle,  I  do  not  require  it." 

"You  must  take  it,  my  son,  Helena  is  my  heiress,  and 
alas !  now  Melnos  has  vanished  in  smoke  and  fire,  there  is  no 
use  for  it  there.  You  will  return  to  England,  IVIaurice,  and, 
with  all  this  wealth,  do  what  good  you  can  in  the  world. 
Crispin  is  already  rich,  so  it  would  be  useless  to  leave  him 
anything. " 

"  I  have  Eunice,  and  that  is  enough  for  me." 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  451 

"Well,  now  all  is  arranged,  we  must  drop  the  curtain  on 
this  comedy  of  life,"  said  Justinian,  with  a  flash  of  his  old 
cynicism.  ''  After  all,  I  have  played  my  part  to  the  best  of 
my  ability  on  this  life's  stage,  but  Fate  has  been  too  strong 
for  me." 

"  It  is  the  will  of  God,"  observed  the  Rector  solemnly. 

Justinian  said  nothing,  as  he  did  not  wish  to  offend  the 
firm  faith  of  the  old  clergyman,  but  he  could  not,  for  the  life 
of  him,  think  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  forty  years  of 
hard  work  to  raise  up  a  new  civilization  should  be  blotted 
out  for  no  reason  whatsoever. 

"  Life's  a  problem !  "  he  said,  with  a  faint  sigh ;  "  we  do 
our  best,  and  remain  poor,  we  do  our  worst,  and  become  rich. 
However,  it  is  all  over  now,  and  of  all  my  schemes  nothing 
remains.  Dust,  ashes,  smoke,  fire,  have  they  all  come  to,  and 
I,  after  seventy-five  years  of  life,  die  foiled  and  beaten  by 
Fate." 

''  Oh,  father,  do  not  talk  so  !  You  will  not  die  !  you  will 
live ! " 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  my  child ! "  replied  the  dying  man 
faintly ;  "  the  parting  gift  of  Melnos  has  crushed  the  life  out 
of  me.  Oh,  my  island,  my  beautiful  island !  that  bloomed 
like  a  rose  on  the  waters !  how  your  glory  has  departed ! 
The  forge  of  Hephaistos  hath  supplanted  the  garden  of 
Cytherea." 

"  Will  I  not  pray  for  you  ?  "  asked  the  Rector  gently. 

"To  whom?  God?  Well,  a  good  man's  prayers  can  do 
no  harm,  and,  if  there  is  truth  in  your  belief,  may  do  some 
good.  But  we  are  all  in  the  dark,  you  with  your  Christianity, 
I  with  my  paganism.  The  comedy  is  ended,  drop  the  cur- 
tain." 

"  Oh,  father,  father  !  do  not  talk  so ! "  sobbed  Helena,  bury- 
ing her  face  in  her  hands. 

"  Hush,  my  child  !  I  am  not  afraid.  Rector,  you  can  pray 
for  me,  but,  now  all  is  told  and  done,  leave  me  with  my 
child.  Good-by,  my  sister ;  I  never  knew  you,  so  we  are 
almost  strangers  —  good-by.  Kiss  me,  Eunice,  and  be  a 
good  wife  to  Crispin,  who  loves  you  so  dearly.  Crispin,  I 
have  wronged  you,  but  made  reparation.  Dick !  Gurt !  you 
have  been  true  men,  and  Maurice  will  look  after  your  future. 
Maurice,  my  dear  son,  good-by.  Be  a  kind  husband  to  my 
child,  and  comfort  her  in  her  sorrow.  Bury  me  at  sea,  for  I 
will  have  no  meaner  grave  than  the  mighty  ocean.  Good- 
by,  one  and  all  —  good-by  ! " 


452  THE  ISLAND  OF  FANTASY. 

They  took  leave  of  him  in  silence,  one  by  one,  and  then 
left  the  cabin  quietly,  leaving  him  alone  with  Helena  and 
the  Rector,  who  was  already  on  his  knees  reciting  the  ser- 
vice for  the  dying.  On  deck,  the  sun  was  setting  in  splen- 
dor, leaving  trails  of  glory  in  the  heavens,  and  sadly  they 
remained  there,  waiting  for  the  end.  In  about  half  an  hour, 
the  Rector,  pale  and  sad,  appeared  on  the  deck. 

"It  is  all  over!" 

The  next  day,  the  yacht  arrived  at  Syra,  with  her  ensign 
half-mast,  as  a  token  of  the  dead  on  board.  Here  the  men 
whom  Crispin  had  recruited  for  the  defence  of  Melnos  were 
paid  off  and  dismissed.  No  one  on  board  cared  to  remain 
longer  in  the  Archipelago,  now  so  fraught  with  sad  associa- 
tions, so,  after  a  few  hours'  stay,  The  Eunice  steamed  out  of 
the  harbor  on  her  way  to  old  England  once  more. 

Off  the  island  of  Cerigo,  to  the  extreme  south  of  the 
Peloponnesus,  Justinian's  body  was  committed  to  the  deep, 
wrapped  in  no  meaner  shroud  than  that  ragged  Union  Jack, 
shot  nearly  into  tatters,  wdiich  had  floated  so  proudly  over 
the  well-defended  stockade.  The  Rector,  in  a  voice  broken 
by  emotion,  read  the  burial  service  over  the  body  of  the  dead 
Demarch,  who,  whatever  his  faults  might  have  been,  was  a 
great  man.  The  engines  were  slowed  down,  the  body, 
wrapped  in  its  glorious  pall,  shot  with  a  sullen  splash  into 
the  sea,  and  then  the  yacht,  with  set  sails  and  beating 
screw,  plunged  on,  through  the  purple  seas,  towards  Eng- 
land. 

Helena  was  almost  broken-hearted  with  her  loss,  and  shut 
herself  up  in  her  cabin  to  lament  in  solitude.  This,  however, 
Maurice  would  not  allow,  as  he  was  afraid  of  her  becoming 
ill,  and  one  evening,  when  all  were  at  dinner,  he  persuaded 
her  to  come  up  on  deck,  where  the  glery  of  the  sunset  was 
burning  with  splendor  in  the  far  west. 

^'  My  dearest,"  he  said  tenderly,  taking,  her  in  his  arms,  as 
they  stood  facing  the  keen  sea  breeze,  "you  must  not  break 
your  heart  like  this.  Your  father  would  never  have  survived 
the  loss  of  Melnos,  so  he  had  his  wish,  and  died  when  all  his 
hopes  of  a  new  Hellas  were  at  an  end.  I  must  be  your  com- 
forter now,  Helena,  and  when  you  are  my  dear  wife,  I  trust 
to  make  you  so  happy,  that  you  will  be  able  to  look  back 
with  calmness  on  this  loss,  which  you  now  think  —  and  justly 
—  so  bitter.  Hush,  hush,  my  dear  love!  We  will  face  the 
future  together,  and  live  down  our  past  sorrows." 

Helena,  drying  her  eyes,  put  her  cold  little  hand  into  his, 


THE  ISLAND   OF  FANTASY.  453 

and  looked  trustfully  up  into  his  face,  but  was  too  overcome 
by  her  feelings  to  trust  herself  to  speech. 

The  sun,  dying  in  the  west,  was  flooding  the  heavens  with 
gold,  and  just  above  the  intolerable  brilliance  on  the  horizon 
appeared  a  fantastically  shaped  cloud,  like  an  isle  all  broken 
into  bays,  capes,  peaks,  and  plains.  In  the  glowing  splendor 
it  looked  so  frail  and  ethereal,  that,  even  as  they  gazed,  it 
melted  away  before  their  eyes  like  a  fairy  vision. 

"The  Island  of  Fantasy  !  "  murmured  Helena. 

"  My  love  !  The  real  Island  of  Fantasy  has  vanished  ;  the 
cloud  Island  of  Fantasy  has  disappeared ;  but  in  our  hearts, 
my  Helena,  there  is  a  land  of  fairy  loveliness,  which  will 
endure  forever,  and  some  day,  m}^  child,  when  we  leave  this 
world,  we  will  find  our  beautiful  island  once  again,  more 
glorious  than  of  yore,  with  your  father  to  welcome  us 
there." 

Fiiris. 


"Down  where  the  living:  waters  flow/' 

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